


The Gift

by Azela



Series: The Love for His Master Series [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Falling In Love, Hand Jobs, M/M, Master/Slave, Oral Sex, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-06 14:30:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 80,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3137786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azela/pseuds/Azela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cade was a birthday present for Eden, a young college student living with a group of friends with different opinions and views on how Eden should control his slave. Eden keeps his rules to a minimum and allows Cade a freedom he never thought he would have. Unfortunately that freedom comes with disapproval from some of Eden's housemates and family that will put a strain on Eden and Cade's relationship. Things turn for the worst when a trip to Eden's home for the holidays lands Cade at a sale with no chance for Eden to save him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I already have this story started on AFF. I'm posting it here because I plan on moving to this site and I want to keep the series together so people don't have to jump between the two sites to read it.

Stretching his fingers, Cade tried to ease the pressure of the rope around his wrists. He had been on this bed for hours and the position he was in was starting to put a strain on his back. It was past midnight and he was beginning to hope that the reason he was here had been forgotten due to hours of drinking. 

Using his legs to push himself backwards, Cade was able to bend his elbows slightly and release the tension on his arms. He sighed, feeling the pain ease slightly. He wiggled his fingers, hoping the feeling would return to them. Only a few more hours before someone would come to clean the room and find him. Then he could move around and find out what they wanted from him. 

The sound of the door opening made his heart stop and he saw the shadow of a person step into the room. Apparently they hadn’t forgotten about him. A tall, elegant man strode up to the bed and he looked over the young man laying before him. Cade was completely naked, with the exception of a large green bow that had been tied around his waist.

“Well this isn’t what I expected,” the man chuckled, crawling onto the bed.

Wide, brown eyes watched in terror as the man untied the bow. Long, soft fingers slid underneath him, pulling him up so the ribbon could be removed. Those same fingers slowly ran up his side making his skin tickle. 

Biting his tongue to keep from giggling, Cade took in the man’s features. Dark hair glinted in the moonlight, molding into the black clothes the man wore. Deep blue eyes wandered up and down his body, showing no hint of lust.

“It’s my birthday today,” the man’s voice was deep, and sent shivers down Cade’s spine.

“Happy birthday,” came the quiet stutter from the one on the bed.

“Thank you,” the man’s warm smile calmed his fears. “Do you know why you’re here?”

“No, sir, but I do know that these bonds are very painful.” Actually, Cade did know the reason why he was here, but he needed to hear it from this kind man.

“I can easily fix that,” the man leaned over him, letting his soft shirt brush over naked skin. He untied the ropes and Cade sagged on the bed, forcing stiff joints to relax. “Better?” 

Cade nodded, stretching his arms out in front of him. “You didn’t tell me why I was here, sir.”

“Eden, please call me Eden. I will never go by sir,” the man whispered, running a hand through Cade’s soft brown hair. “And you are my gift. Some of my friends thought it would be fun to buy me an untouched slave for my birthday.”

Cade’s heart sank, he knew that being a slave would mean that something like this would happen, but he had always hoped it wouldn’t. “Cade is my name,” was all he could think to say.  
“Well, Cade, welcome to my home. I hope you will stay a while.” Long fingers traced Cade’s jaw, causing goose bumps to rise.

“I guess that depends on how I am tonight,” Cade felt his cheeks heat in embarrassment. He had never laid with a man or a woman before, his master had made sure of it. But tonight, all that would be taken away from him by a man he hardly knew.

“You seem worried,” Eden whispered, leaning closer to Cade.

“No, sir, I’m just…” he trailed off, afraid that his words might be used against him.

“Just afraid that I will hurt you, or afraid that this is not how you pictured your first time? And I told you to call me Eden.”

“I knew this was how it would be and I promise not to make any noise, no matter what you do,” Cade repeated the words his master had forced him to remember before he was sold.

“But if you don’t make a sound then how will I know if you like it or not?” A thumb grazed over Cade’s nipple causing him to take in a sharp breath.

“I am not here to like it, I am only here to please you in any way you see fit,” Cade replied.

“Your master taught you obedience well. How about you take everything he taught you and forget it?” Eden whispered, pressing his lips to Cade’s neck.

“But-” Cade faltered, he knew nothing else. How could he just forget?

“So obedient, that’s alright.” Eden’s hands wrapped around Cade’s slim hips and pulled him down so he was laying on the bed. Cade rolled over and pushed his backside into the air and buried his face into a pillow. Shutting his eyes tightly, Cade wished that Eden would do it quickly. “What are you doing?” Eden chuckled pushing against Cade’s hip so he toppled onto the bed. 

Cade kept his face buried in the comforter, trying to hide his embarrassment. He didn’t know what to do, but he did know where everything went. The only time he had ever seen the act was when one of the milkmaids slipped into the bed of the man next to him and that was how she knelt while he took her.

“I thought that was how you do it,” Cade cried when Eden rolled him over.

“Relax, I will not have you like that. That is a position for whores and sinners,” Eden said sternly.

Cade kept quiet about the sinners part, because he had been taught by a traveling priest that what they were about to do was a sin no matter what position you were in. Pushing away the religious views he had never been taught, Cade focused on the man above him. Eden was waiting patiently for him to finish his thought before he placed his hands on Cade again.

“I’m worried that you will go off dreaming when I start pleasuring you. Hopefully I can keep your mind on what I do to you.” Eden pulled off his long black shirt and Cade unconsciously scooted away from the man.

Ignoring Cade’s movements, Eden removed the rest of his clothes and piled up a few pillows so he could comfortably sit against the headboard. Gently grasping Cade’s arm, Eden pulled him into his lap. Their first kiss was awkward and Cade cringed away when they parted, knowing he was going to be punished.

“Let’s try again,” Eden soothed, pulling Cade back to him and pressing their lips together. Cade tried hard not to over think the simple act, letting Eden show him what to do. “Much better, now open your mouth when I kiss you.”

Cade stared at the man in confusion, but allowed Eden to kiss him again. Cade cautiously opened his mouth slightly, but he hadn’t expected Eden’s tongue to invade his mouth and he pulled away, slapping a hand over his lips. Eden chuckled again, reaching up and pulling Cade’s hand away.

“Your innocence makes you all the more attractive. Will you let me kiss you like that again?” 

Cade hesitated, unsure whether he wanted Eden’s tongue in his mouth. He decided it wouldn’t hurt to try again sine Eden hadn’t hurt him yet. This time Cade brought their lips together. As Eden wrapped his fingers around the back of his head he slipped his tongue into Cade’s mouth. It was an odd feeling to Cade, but Eden seemed to enjoy it so he pushed away his dislike.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do,” Cade whispered after they parted.

“That is why I am taking it slow, so you can learn,” Eden whispered softly. “Now up on your knees for me.” Cade pulled himself up, placing his hands flat on the wall behind the bed to steady himself.

He pulled away nervously when Eden’s hand slipped between his legs. Eden patiently pulled Cade’s hips back to him and lifted his slightly aroused cock. Cade watched with interest, the milkmaid had never done something like this when she came to the other man’s bed. He let out a strangled cry as he watched with wide eyes as the tip of his cock slipped between Eden’s lips. 

The warmth of Eden’s mouth made Cade shudder. He was becoming more and more interested in what else Eden would do as he sucked Cade’s cock into his mouth. The tongue that Cade didn’t want in his mouth was now stroking his cock while Eden began to gently suck on him.

Biting back a moan, Cade shook his head as his hips involuntarily bucked into the wet mouth. He wasn’t supposed to like this, he was supposed to hate and despise every second of this and here he was moving his hips and wishing for more. The tip of Eden’s tongue swirled around the head of Cade’s cock, dipping into the little slit and drawing out beads of precum. 

Cade could no longer hold back and he let out his first moan as Eden nursed his throbbing tip. Eden just smiled around the cock in his mouth, taking Cade in fully. Cade’s hand tangled in Eden’s dark hair, while the other gripped his shoulder tightly. Cade continued to fight against his desires, while Eden begged him to give in.

Something inside Cade began to tighten and he suddenly felt the world stop as his mind exploded with pleasure. The tightening feeling grew and Eden tightened his lips around the base of Cade’s cock. Just as Cade thought he couldn’t take any more of the tightening feeling, something burst inside of him sending waves of pleasure crashing through him. 

He cried out, spilling into Eden’s mouth and Cade gripped his head tightly, holding Eden’s face against his hips. He wanted to feel that way again, it was so addicting and so wonderful.

Eden gave him a gentle nudge when Cade’s body stopped shuddering and Cade slowly slid back, settling into Eden’s lap, only to jump when something hard brushed against his thigh.

“I’m sorry, Cade,” Eden chuckled, kissing Cade’s cheek. “You’re sexy when you’re trying to fight your pleasure. It’s very arousing.”

“So… should I do that to you?” Cade asked as he tried to figure out exactly what had been done. 

“No, catch your breath and I will show you what we are going to do next,” Eden laid Cade on the bed and stood up, walking into another room.

Cade concentrated on slowing his breathing as his body continued to tingle with pleasure. Eden returned with a small bottle and he placed it on the table next to the bed. Pushing Cade’s legs apart, he settled between them and Eden ran his fingers from Cade’s knee to his inner thigh as he waited for him to relax.

Once Cade was ready, Eden pulled the bottle off the table and coated two fingers in a thick, clear liquid. “This will help numb the pain but it wont take away your feeling of pleasure,” Eden explained as Cade watched his hand disappear between his legs.

Cade suddenly realized what was coming next and he stiffened as a finger gently probed his entrance. Eden just shook his head rubbing Cade’s leg till he calmed again. There was only a slight feeling of pain when Eden’s finger entered him, but it soon evaporated as the lube took affect.

The digit inside of Cade actually felt good as it moved in and out of him caressing his sensitive walls. Another finger was added and Cade arched his hips off the bed trying to find some way to take away the discomfort. Eden whispered words of encouragement while he twisted his fingers, pulling them apart to stretch Cade’s entrance. The discomfort soon dissipated and Cade tried moving his hips with the fingers to see how it felt. He managed to find a rhythm and Eden gave him an encouraging smile.

“I think you’re ready,” Eden smiled wider, removing his fingers. He made sure that Cade could see the large amount of lube he pored on his hand and made sure that every inch of his cock was coated well. Sliding his arms under Cade’s knees, Eden pushed his legs wider and positioned himself at Cade’s entrance.

Eden rubbed the head of his cock over the tight muscles, rolling his hips and pushing slowly forward. There was a slight pain that caused Cade to wince when the head of Eden’s cock breached the tight ring, but it eased with the numbing lube to a small twinge. Though Cade didn’t feel the pain, Eden moved cautiously, pausing to let Cade adjust to the intrusion. The feeling of being filled was the same feeling Cade had when Eden’s tongue was in his mouth. It was uncomfortable and he couldn’t figure out why the milkmaid would come to the room every night to have one of the men do this to her.

“Your mind is wandering again,” Eden said, pulling his hips back.

Cade shivered when Eden slid out of him and he welcomed the hard shaft when it returned. Cade’s skin began to tingle as Eden continued to move slowly in and out and Cade’s body began to demand more when pleasure sparked inside him.

“Maybe you could move faster?” Cade asked, watching for Eden’s reaction.

“So you do like it,” Eden smiled, speeding up. The faster pace made Cade shiver but he still felt like something was missing. He wanted more but he didn’t know how to ask for it.  
“Ohhh,” Cade cried out when the head of Eden’s cock pressed against something that made his head spin and his body tremble.

Eden continued to hit that spot moving faster into Cade. He bent down, nuzzling Cade’s cheek and quietly asked him to touch himself. With a trembling hand Cade reached down and grabbed himself. He wasn’t sure what to do so he just gripped his shaft tightly. Long fingers covered his own and Eden guided Cade’s hand, showing him how to stroke himself.

“More… please,” Cade cried as he worked himself faster.

Eden shifted his hips coming at that spot in a different direction and sending even more pleasure coursing through Cade’s body. He lifted his hips off the bed and found that this gave Eden better access to more sensitive areas inside him. Cade couldn’t keep himself quiet and he moaned every time their hips met. 

The tightness returned and Cade welcomed it, knowing that he was coming to another wonderful finish. Eden joined Cade’s hand again and they worked the swelling shaft together. Gripping the bed with his free hand, Cade arched of the bed, feeling his muscles tighten around Eden. 

“Come on, Cade,” Eden groaned, his voice strained. He gave a hard buck and Cade tensed, crying out as his come spilled out of his cock, coating his stomach. With one last hard thrust, Eden pored himself into Cade, making him gasp as a great warmth spread inside him.

Cade whimpered when Eden pulled out of him and he rolled on his side breathing deeply. Eden laid down next to him panting heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. Cade inched closer to the man and nuzzled his arm.

“Thank you,” Cade whispered.

“For what?” Eden asked, rolling over so he could take Cade in his arms.

“For being my fist and making it feel good,” Cade sighed into Eden’s chest.

“Well if you decide to stay with me we can have more nights like this one,” Eden chuckled. “You are, by far, the best present I have ever gotten.”


	2. Chapter 2

Cade woke when the bedroom door opened and he quickly sat up, wincing slightly at the dull throb in his lower back. He watched the young maid carry a small plate of food into the room. She ignored Cade and placed the plate on the table. Unsure whether or not the food was for him, Cade slid out of bed and inched toward the table. He moaned at the smell of bacon, his mouth watering as he thought about the only time he had ever eaten it before.

He eased himself into the small chair and reached for the plate. Bacon, eggs, toast covered with jam, it all looked so good and his stomach rumbled as he inhaled all the delicious scents. A door swung open and Cade froze, his hand inches from the plate. He stared wide-eyed at Eden and quickly pulled his hand away, looking shamefully down at his lap.

“Don’t look so deterred, I’m not going to stop you from eating,” Eden pushed the plate towards Cade.

“But it’s for you,” Cade whispered.

“I will have them bring another plate. Eat,” the gentle command gave Cade the strength to pick up a piece of bacon and take a bite. He couldn’t say he was fed poorly by his old master, but he had never tasted something so flavorful. Eden chuckled and kissed Cade’s cheek. “When you’re finished, we’ll shower so we can go home.”

“Home?” Cade asked in confusion. “But I thought you were already home?”

“This is my parents house, I came home for the party, but I have school tomorrow so we need to leave today.”

“School,” Cade mouthed the word several times, still confused about what Eden meant. 

“Yes, I’m in graduate school. I am finishing up my masters degree in hotel management,” Eden replied calmly. Cade had never heard of college, nor had he heard of something called a masters degree in hotel management. Maybe it was something people did when they were given a slave?

Eden picked up his phone and asked someone to bring another plate of food before settling in a chair. “If you don’t live here, then where do you live?” Cade asked curiously.

“Not far from the campus in a small house. I live with four of my friends who are also in school. They won’t be home till late tonight so it will give you time to settle in before you meet them.” Cade nodded, though he didn’t understand what friends were and why Eden would want to live with them. From what Cade could figure out, Eden had a lot of money and people with money usually liked to live alone so other people didn’t bother them.

The same maid as before entered the room and set a plate of food in front of Eden; scurrying from the room once it was out of her hand. The two ate in silence, Cade marveling at how beautifully Eden ate. It was nothing Cade had ever seen before and he wondered if he looked ridiculous as he ate. He attempted to mimic Eden’s movements, but they were sloppy and Cade made more of a mess than anything.

Eden chuckled and finished his breakfast, holding out a hand for Cade when he set down his fork. The shower was quick and Eden only touched Cade when he needed to and his hands didn’t stay on him for long. There was no sign of Eden’s parents when they left the bedroom and Cade realized he hadn’t seen them yesterday either. Then again, he had a feeling he had been snuck in so no one would noticed him. 

A small car waited for them in the driveway and Eden helped Cade into the passengers seat. “Don’t worry, it’s only an hour drive,” he reassured when he settled into the drivers seat. The drive was quick and Cade watched as cars flew past them on the road. He was rarely taken off his last master’s property and when he was, he didn’t travel far.

The house they pulled up to was small, but it still looked better then other places Cade had been to. “It’s not at all like my parents home and there are no maids of any sort to wait on you,” Eden explained as he helped Cade out of the car. He opened the trunk and pulled out two bags. Setting one on the ground, Eden searched through his pockets, pulling out a key. 

“Can you open the door for me?” he asked, holding the key out to Cade. Cade nodded and went to the door. He slipped the key into the lock and turned it, pushing the door open to reveal a small living room. He didn’t get any further before someone came running out of another room. Cade jerked back, stumbling out of the house before the man could run into him.

“Easy there, little one,” the man chuckled, grabbing Cade’s arm and steadying him.

“Calvin, what are you doing home?” Eden asked, surprised to see the man.

“No one told you?” Calvin asked, smiling when Eden shook his head. “We all got a bit too drunk last night and decided to stay home.”

“Does that mean everyone is home?” Eden sounded unhappy 

“Dennis went to work, but you know him. He sat in a corner and sulked all night,” Calvin shrugged, his green eyes focusing on Cade. “You are beautiful,” he smiled, reaching for Cade.

Cade stood still and let Calvin touch him, looking at the man’s face. He reminded Cade of his speaking teacher, someone who always smiled and was willing to help. “He’s even cuter when he’s nervous,” Calvin chuckled.

“You were all suppose to be at work so Cade wasn’t overwhelmed,” Eden protested.

“If I recall,” another man came up behind Calvin. He smiled down at Cade, his copper hair shining in the sunlight. He looked back up at Eden and his grey eyes softened further. “If I recall, when Vincent and Joseph told you about him you were afraid that you were going to be stuck with someone you wouldn’t care for. Now, aside from the fact that we all have hangovers, we didn’t want you coming home alone and having to make decisions you shouldn’t make without us to help you.”

“I made my decision, Cade will be living with us,” Eden replied confidently.

The two other men looked down at Cade and smiled. It felt good to hear that Eden still wanted him and he understood why Eden would worry about receiving a gift like him, but it still hurt to know that Eden could easily give him up. It hurt even more to know that after what they did the night before; Eden could still give him up.

Arms encircled Cade’s neck and he was pulled against one of the men’s chests. “Eden would have tried very hard to make this work before he gave up. But I can tell by the way he’s looking at you, he’s not going to give you up now,” the red headed man reassured.

“I hope not,” Cade whispered.

“And he talks,” Calvin laughed. “I like when we can have conversations with them.”

“Does that mean there were others?” Cade asked, glancing back at Eden.

“They were not mine,” Eden replied softly. “Why don’t we go in and get settled and I’ll explain.” The man holding Cade pulled him into the house and set him on a lumpy couch.

“Raf,” Eden called and the copper haired man looked at him. “Let me have Cade for now.” Raf gave Eden a nod, patting Cade on the head before he let him up. Cade followed his master into a bedroom, smiling at the similarity between this room and the one he had been in the night before.

A bed sat beneath a large window, next to it a small table. A dresser and desk were placed on the far wall, both pushed up next to each other. Another door was on the left wall and next to the door was a stand with something Cade had never seen before.

“What is this?” Cade asked, touching the hard, black thing.

“It’s a television,” Eden answered. “You watch it.”

“And what does it do when you watch it?” Cade asked, looking closely for some sort of change. He jumped back when person appeared and her voice filled the room.

“Your old master kept you secluded didn’t he?” Eden asked.

“What does secluded mean?” Cade asked, moving away from the talking woman.

“It means he didn’t let you see a lot of things,” Eden replied.

“I hardly left my room,” Cade whispered, “the only time I did go outside was to walk to another building for lessons. My master used to tell me that I didn’t need to see things that weren’t important to a slave.” Eden frowned, gently touching Cade’s cheek.

“What did they teach in these lessons?” Eden asked.

“My old master taught me how to act when I was given to a new master. He told me to do whatever I was told to do,” Cade shrugged; pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to tell his master this.   
“And that’s all?” Eden asked. “You never went to school? No one taught you English, math or history?”

“I don’t know what any of that is,” Cade replied. “Speaking lessons,” he said after a second, “my master made me take those. He said that if I was going to serve a master I shouldn’t sound like a sim… si…”

“A simpleton,” Eden finished and Cade nodded. “I’m surprised, though I probably shouldn’t be, that they didn’t give you an education.”

“Why are you surprised by that?” Cade asked, looking up into Eden’s blue eyes.

“Well, I would think that those looking to buy a slave with your kind of breeding would also want you to be intelligent too. But then again, the best way to have any control over someone is to be more intelligent then them.”

“Well it must be true, I honestly didn’t understand most of what you just said and I don’t feel intelligent.”

“You’ll learn, Cade. I want you to have the opportunity to learn and I hope you take it,” Eden smiled, leaning down and kissing Cade. Cade reached up, gently touching Eden’s face. He opened his mouth and moaned when Eden’s tongue slid in. 

“Is this training or reward?” someone asked. Eden pulled away and Cade glanced at the man leaning against the doorframe. The man looked at Cade the same way everyone did when they were looking to buy him, like a prized animal. The man pushed away from the doorframe and walked towards Cade. He gently gripped Cade’s chin and inspected his face.

“Vincent said he was very well bred and I have to agree with him. He has that sought after innocent look and beautiful cheekbones. He’s a little shorter then I would like and he could use more muscling, but other then that, he is a nice looking young man. They even cared for his skin and at least he’s healthy. They chose him very well.”

“This is Lucas,” Eden explained flatly, watching Cade closely, “he sees things differently then the rest of us.”

“He sees me as I am,” Cade replied blandly, “as a slave.”

“Yes I do,” Lucas replied coolly, “but it is not my place to treat you like a slave since you are not mine.”

“I’m feeling not intelligent again,” Cade muttered, glancing at Eden.

“It’s unintelligent,” Lucas chuckled. “You’re feeling unintelligent. What I meant was that Eden is your master and I will treat you the same way he treats you.” Cade heard Eden sigh behind him and Lucas let him go.

“Don’t worry about him, Cade, you’ll get use to him,” Eden unzipped his bag and began throwing his clothes into a basket at the end of his bed. Lucas continued to stare at Cade, making him feel uncomfortable. “Lucas, you’re being rude.”

“I’m merely looking,” Lucas waved his hand. “Can I see his papers?” Eden rolled his eyes and searched through his bag. Cade tensed when Lucas unbuttoned his shirt, but he stood still. He had just reached the middle button when Eden handed Lucas what Cade assumed were his papers. When Lucas released Cade’s shirt, he hastily tried to button it back up, only to stop when Lucas gave him a look. He dropped his hands to his side and looked at the floor.

“Damn, they found you a nice young man,” Lucas whistled. “He has an admirable pedigree. You could show him with breeding like this. Hell, you could breed him with breeding like this,” Lucas sounded excited and it worried Cade. What was this man going to convince his master to do to him?

“I’m not showing him and I’m not breeding him,” Eden snapped. “In case you have forgotten, Cade is a human, not some fancy animal to prance around with.”

“I was merely suggesting it,” Lucas huffed. “How is his education?” Lucas set down the papers and attacked Cade’s shirt again.

“He doesn’t have one,” Eden replied. “They gave him speaking lessons and we both know that all they do is teach them how to speak intelligently, but they have no idea what any of it means.”

Lucas nodded, sliding Cade’s shirt off his shoulders. He started on Cade’s pants, pulling them off and leaving him naked. Lucas’s hands were soft, but they also demanded that Cade obeyed the master that was touching him.

“He’s not castrated either, something you don’t often see,” Lucas said surprised.

“Castrated?” Cade asked curiously. He had heard the word said by his master the day those men came to look at him. He jumped when Lucas’s hands slid between his legs and cupped his testicles. 

“They cut these off,” he explained, gently rubbing them. “It gives the master more power and avoids any unwanted pregnancies for those slaves entertaining women.”

“Those men who came to look at me, the master asked them if they wanted that. They told him no,” Cade whispered.

“I’m glad they didn’t,” Eden smiled, running his fingers through Cade’s hair. “I would have been very upset if they had. No one deserves such an unkind thing.”

“No one deserves to be recklessly used either. The regulations for owning a slave have gotten soft. People have become too abusive to their pets,” Lucas muttered. Cade felt like there was something he was missing, but Eden seemed to get it because he nodded.

“If you are done with your inspection, I need to speak with him about such things,” Eden said, his eyes following Lucas’s hand as it slid over Cade’s cock.

Cade had been touched like this many times by different people. His old master had said he needed to get used to it and learn not to cringe whenever someone had put their hands on him. It was still a habit Cade had yet to break as he flinched the longer Lucas touched him.

“Turn around,” Lucas commanded. Cade did what he was told, glancing at Eden who was quietly watching.

“I’m sorry, Cade, but if he doesn’t do it now he’ll corner you later and do it then,” Eden sighed.

“I wouldn’t corner him,” Lucas growled, gripping Cade’s ass. He stifled a protest when the man began inspecting his more private areas. “I would have caught him off guard, but I never would have cornered him.”

“I’m sorry, master,” Cade trembled when Lucas’s fingers pushed deeper then he wanted them to, “but this is making me uncomfortable.” Lucas’s hands moved away immediately and Eden pulled him into his arms.

“It’s alright, Lucas is done,” he hooked a finger under Cade’s chin and tilted his head up. “And it’s Eden, not master.” Cade nodded, pulling away from him and scrambling to put on his clothes.   
“At leas no one has broken him yet,” Lucas smiled. “You’re going to enjoy him, Eden.”

“I already enjoy him,” Eden replied. Cade finished dressing and Eden brought him back into the other room with the lumpy couch. Eden set Cade in a chair and took a seat next to him. The others joined them, looking excited to see Cade again.

“You know,” Calvin started, taking a seat on the lumpy couch, “normal people buy dogs or cats. You guys buy other humans.”

“It’s a big thing,” Lucas replied. “It’s like having horses.”

“Only you would compare owning another human to owning horses,” Calvin muttered, rolling his eyes.

“You compared it to owning a cat,” Lucas shot back.

“I was making a statement,” Calvin growled.

“I’m sorry about them,” Eden sighed, touching Cade’s hand, “but you’ll get use to this.”

“Get used to what?” Cade asked.

“He’s talking about us,” Calvin chuckled. “Just give us a few days and we’ll calm down.”

“At least there will be more to do here,” Cade whispered.

Eden smiled and curled his fingers around Cade’s hand. “I’m sure you have figured it out by now that Lucas and I have owned slaves before. Raf has also had slaves and he will help you whenever you need. Calvin, however, knew nothing about slaves until after he moved in with us,” Eden glanced at Calvin when he snorted.

“God, I never want to see that again,” he groaned. “I had been living with them for about three months and one day Raf said something about Lucas’s new toy, which sparked my curiosity. Who would have thought I would walk in on him in the middle of a training session.”

Cade didn’t know what Calvin meant by ‘training session’, but he shuddered at the thought of training with Lucas. “Raf was better, but the two he brought home never talked and Lucas’s were too afraid of being reprimanded to say anything.”

“Lucas takes his master role very seriously,” Eden explained. 

“But not as much as others,” Cade whispered. He remembered what his old master had done to those who wouldn’t behave. He also remembered helping the others bandage their bloody bodies.   
“Trust me, little one, I will punish you if I have to. I will follow Eden’s rules, but do not think that I will allow you to be disrespectful,” Lucas warned.

“But you are right, Cade,” Eden cut in. “Lucas is very forgiving and he will only punish if he absolutely has to. You don’t have to worry about Raf, he doesn’t know the meaning of punishment.”  
“Slaves are humans and they don’t deserve to be abused. They should be treated as equals,” Raf replied sternly.

“And what about you?” Cade asked looking up at Eden.

“Eden will be good to you,” Lucas replied. “You have nothing to worry about, Eden will never harm you.”

“Then I am glad your friends gave me to you.” Cade smiled at his master. Eden returned the smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes and it was gone just as fast.

“We have another roommate,” Eden said sounding worried. “He is currently at work. His name is Dennis.” Eden paused for a moment and took Cade’s hand again. “Because you are mine, he will leave you alone, but I want you to stay out of his way. His family owns one of the largest slave farms and they are very cruel. Dennis will not hesitate to reprimand you if you anger him.”

“Reprimand?” Cade asked.

“He will beat you, Cade,” Raf explained, “and he will not think twice about it.” Cade cringed but nodded. He didn’t want this man to find any reason to beat him.

“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask any of us. You’re allowed to go wherever you want, but please stay in the house. I don’t want you going outside unless one of us is with you.” Cade took Eden’s words as a command and nodded obediently. “Do you have any questions?” Cade shook his head, he couldn’t think of anything else to say. 

Calvin slid past Lucas and kneeled in front of Cade. “Why don’t you tell us about yourself. What do you like?” Cade stared at Calvin confused.

“Um…” he stuttered, looking up at Eden, “what do I like?”

Eden smiled softly and cupped Cade’s cheek in his hand. “You can like whatever you want.”

“But my master is supposed to tell me what I like,” Cade replied quickly.

“I want you to like your own things. I’m not going to control you, Cade,” Eden said softly. Fear coursed through Cade, his old master had told him what to do every day. He was told when those men came to get him that he would only do what his master commanded him to do and now Eden wasn’t going to do that. How was he supposed to know what his master wanted?

“Easy, Cade,” Eden whispered. Cade hadn’t realized that he was starting to panic until his master pulled him into his arms. “I understand that this is all new to you, but you will get the hang of it.”  
“But I’m supposed to do what my master tells me and he is supposed to tell me everything. I am his to be commanded,” Cade whimpered.

“Those words have been fed to him all his life,” Lucas sighed. “I’m sure his old master drilled them into his head and had him repeating them several times a day. Those lessons will be very hard to break and you’re going to have to be patient with him. There will be times where you will have no choice but to give him a command.”

Eden sighed, nuzzling Cade’s cheek. “Let’s go to my bedroom. I have some work to get done and I think we’ve put you through enough stress for now.” Cade nodded, letting Eden pull him to his feet.

Cade was relieved when the door to the bedroom clicked shut and he was alone with his master. Eden pulled several books out of a bag and set them on the old, worn desk. Cade curiously walked to the desk and touched one of the thick books. He opened the cover and flipped through the thin pages. He stared at the small black marks that covered the page, trying hard to understand what they meant.

“These are a little too advanced for you,” Eden chuckled, covering Cade’s hand with his own.

“Do you have to read all these books?” Cade asked.

“Yes, but not all at once and not immediately,” Eden smiled. “Go relax and I’ll try to get done as soon as possible.” Cade nodded and headed to the bed. He laid down and closed his eyes, loosing track of time as he relaxed.

He cocked his head when he heard the door open and glanced at Eden who had paused, listening to whoever had come into the room. Cade gasped when a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him off the bed. He was dropped onto his feet and he glanced up at the tall man who was staring down at him. Cade flinched when he looked into the man’s cold, black eyes.

Eden had turned his chair to watch them, but didn’t stop the man. Cade was sure the man was Dennis and he stood frozen in place, terrified that he might anger him. Dennis gripped Cade’s chin and forced his head up.

“Innocent face,” Dennis smiled a terrifying smile. “They always like to get that look, it makes the men enjoy breaking them even more.” For the second time that day he was stripped naked, but Dennis’s hands weren’t gentle like Lucas’s. They were rough and Cade winced when the man grabbed him. 

“Vincent showed me his pedigree, I approved of him before they went to look. No point in buying him if he’s worthless. I’m surprised, though, they found him on some backyard farm. He is certainly worth much more then they were selling him for.”

“Maybe it was just a stroke of luck,” Eden replied, his tone cold.

“He was probably stolen off the farm they bred him at and no one noticed,” Dennis sneered. He spun Cade around and dug his fingers into his shoulders.

“Eden,” Cade cried out when two fingers were forced into him.

“How dare you,” Denis roared, slamming his hand across the back of Cade’s head. “You do not address your master by his name.”

“Enough, Dennis,” Eden growled. “I will let you inspect him, but do not discipline him for something I allow.”

“Sorry,” Dennis replied coldly. He pulled away from Cade and Eden drew him into his arms. “You shouldn’t be so lenient with him.”

“He is mine and I will do what I want with him,” Eden replied sharply. “Get out, Dennis, you’ve done enough damage already.”

“Fine,” Dennis growled. Cade kept his face pressed against Eden’s chest as he listened to the door open and shut again.

“I’m sorry,” Eden whispered. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” Cade shivered and pulled away from Eden. He ran his hands through his hair, wincing when he touched the spot Dennis struck. He scrambled to pick up his clothes, not wanting to be naked around these men anymore.

“Cade,” Eden pulled his clothes out of his hand and made him sit on the bed. “Please forgive me.”

“You haven’t done anything that requires forgiveness, master,” Cade replied, his voice flat.

“Please don’t call me master,” Eden begged, sounding hurt. Lifting Cade up, he moved him further onto the bed and laid him down. Gentle hands smoothed over Cade’s arms as Eden inspected him. Cade laid quietly, squirming as Eden’s hands moved lower.

“He didn’t leave any marks,” Eden whispered, kissing Cade’s hip.

“He just scared me,” Cade replied. Eden gently spread Cade’s legs, inspecting his more sensitive parts closely. Cade pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked down at his master. “Eden?”   
Eden paused and looked up, his blue eyes twinkling. “Will you touch me like you did last night?”

It wasn’t the question he wanted to ask, but it was the one that came tumbling out of his mouth.

“Did you really like it that much that you’re asking for it again?” Eden chuckled.

“I’m sorry, that wasn’t the question I was going to ask,” Cade whispered.

“But there was obviously some part of you that did,” Eden replied. “You wouldn’t have asked it if there wasn’t.” Eden kissed Cade’s hip again, causing his cock to twitch. Moving back up Cade’s body, Eden cupped Cade’s face in his hand and kissed him.

Cade wrapped his fingers around Eden’s arms and opened his mouth, moaning. He slid his legs up and pressed them against Eden’s hips.

“I’m only going to use my mouth on you,” Eden whispered.

“Why?” Cade asked, worry building up inside him. “Was I bad, did I do something wrong?”

“No, Cade, calm down,” Eden chuckled. “Last night was your first time and you’re sore. You need to let your body get use to what we did and jumping back into sex now is only going to be painful for you.”

“I didn’t think about that,” Cade whispered, squirming at the slight pain in his lower areas, reminding him of what Eden had said. 

“It’s my job to think of those things. It’s also my job to take care of you.”

“But I shouldn’t be the only one to feel those things,” Cade complained.

“It’s alright,” Eden replied.

“No,” Cade said more forcefully. “It should be equal. We are partners and you should enjoy what I enjoy.”

“And where did you learn that?” Eden laughed. “Certainly not your master, so who told you that?”

“One of the milk maids used to sneak into the room where we were all kept. She snuck into bed with the man next to me and he used say it all the time. I thought it was something you were supposed to say.”

“You had milk maids?” Eden asked in confusion. “That’s odd considering we have machines for milking cows now.”

“My old master didn’t have cows. Whenever someone asked, he would tell them they didn’t learn to milk an animal.”

“Ah, I see,” Eden snorted. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”

“What does it mean?” Cade asked curiously. Eden smiled, reaching down and taking hold of Cade’s cock. He slowly began to stroke him, chuckling when Cade shivered.

“There are some people who call this milking,” Eden explained. “I don’t know why, but it’s usually a term used by people who have sex for money. What kind of farm did you come from?”

“My master said he won me in a bet,” Cade replied. “I don’t know what that means, but he said he was playing a game of dice with a friend. The friend bet me for one of my master’s daughters. I think he wanted her to marry one of his sons. The man lost and I was given to my master and he raised me so he could sell me.”

“Did you work?” Eden asked, glancing at Cade’s hand.

“No, my master wanted me pure. He never let me work and he gave me anything I needed,” Cade replied.

“Did he?” Eden smiled, sitting up and pulling his shirt over his head. “The others must have disliked you.”

“No one was allowed to talk to me,” Cade whispered. “The master would beat them if they did.”

“And now everyone wants to talk to you,” Eden smiled. He wiggled out of his pants and laid his naked body over Cade’s.

“But I don’t have anything to say,” Cade replied, rubbing his thighs against Eden’s smooth hips.

“You will,” Eden rocked his hips, sliding his cock over Cade’s. “Calvin will make sure you have plenty to talk about.”

“What if I don’t want to talk?” Cade asked, wondering if his master would command him to.

“Then don’t talk, but I can’t promise you that any of them will let that happen. They will bug you until you talk to them,” Eden smiled. Cade was sure it was true and sighed. “Are you looking for me to command you?”

“No,” Cade’s voice rose, “I was just asking.” Eden gave him a look like he didn’t believe him. 

Taking Cade’s hips in his hands, he tilted them up, bringing their cocks closer. “We can talk more about this later. I believe you asked me to do something and I have neglected your request.”


	3. Chapter 3

The alarm rang loudly and Cade groggily forced himself to wake. His master wasn’t yelling yet, which meant he had time to get up before the man came barreling into the room and started throwing people out of bed. Cade attempted to push himself up onto his hands, but a hand on his back stopped him.

“Lay with me a little longer.” Cade startled when he heard Eden’s voice. He had forgotten where he was.

“But the alarm,” Cade groaned when Eden pulled him back to his chest. Eden shifted slightly and the beeping noise was silenced. 

“It’s for me so I can get up,” Eden sighed, stroking Cade’s hair.

“Then I should get up with you,” Cade protested.

“No, little one, you stay in bed and go back to sleep.” Eden rolled over, taking Cade with him. Cade placed his hand on his master’s shoulder to steady himself when Eden turned him around in his arms. The touch made Cade shiver and he curiously slid his hand lower, gasping when the palm of his hand rubbed against Eden’s nipple. Eden moaned softly and Cade worked up the courage to move his hand lower. His fingers ghosted over Eden’s hips and he took the chance to touch Eden the same way his master had touched him. 

He curled his fingers around Eden’s cock, freezing when his master’s hand grabbed his wrist. “Although I would love for you to do that, I can’t miss class.”

“Sorry,” Cade whispered.

“Don’t be sorry,” Eden chuckled. He leaned forward and kissed Cade’s forehead. “When I get home you can touch me all you want.” Cade felt his face heat and he hid against a pillow. Eden slid his hand through Cade’s hair and nuzzled behind his ear. “Go back to sleep, I’ll see you later.”

“OK,” Cade replied, his voice muffled from the pillow. He rolled back over when the door opened and closed his eyes, attempting to do what his master said. He drifted in and out of sleep, listening for his master’s return. When the door opened again, Cade kept his eyes shut as he listened to Eden move around the room, getting ready for this class he had to go to.

He felt the bed dip and Cade turned his head when he felt Eden’s breath ghost against his cheek. “Good-bye, Cade,” Eden whispered, kissing Cade’s shoulder.

“Bye,” Cade whispered sleepily. Eden kissed his cheek and Cade fell asleep when the door shut. 

~~~  
“Come on, little one, it’s time to get up.” Cade woke to the voice, stretching his body and yawning. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked up into hard green eyes. His body tensed and he let out a terrified squeak. He sat up quickly, pulling his legs up to his chest as he stared up at Lucas. He had already had one punishment, he didn’t want another one so soon.  
“Easy, Cade,” Lucas whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “what’s got you so spooked?”

“I’m not a horse,” Cade said stubbornly, pushing himself backwards when Lucas reached for him.

“What?” Lucas asked, puzzled.

“You said I was spooked. My old master said that horses get spooked,” Cade replied, scowling when Lucas laughed. “I’m right,” he said defensively.

“You are, little one,” Lucas nodded, “but spooked means frightened or scared. Its not something just horses do, people get spooked too. So tell me,” Cade cringed when Lucas leaned forward, “what’s go you so spooked?”

“I met Dennis,” Cade whispered, “and I don’t want to get punished again.”

“I’m not going to punish you,” Lucas replied softly. “Eden asked me to wake you and that’s what I’m doing. Dennis is at work, so you don’t have to worry about running into him today.”  
“Who else is home?” Cade asked, worried that no one would be there to stop Lucas if he got angry.

“Calvin is home, but only for a little while, he has class soon. I don’t have class until tonight, so you’re stuck with me until Eden get’s home,” Lucas explained, sitting back and giving Cade some space.

“When will he be home?” Cade asked.

“He has class till two and then he has work till seven. Actually, Raf will be home at three, so you’ll be with him for the evening,” Lucas answered, giving Cade a curious look.  
“OK,” Cade nodded. He stared at Lucas suspiciously, waiting for the man to do something.

“Put on some clothes and I’ll show you the bathroom so you can shower.” Cade didn’t move. He didn’t want anyone but his master to see him naked. Lucas seemed to understand and sighed. Getting off the bed, Lucas reached down and grabbed Cade’s boxers off the floor, tossing them to him. He turned his back to Cade, giving him some privacy to dress.

Cade yanked on his boxers and threw off the covers. Lucas’s head cocked when Cade climbed out of bed and he turned to give him a small smile. Taking Cade’s hand, Lucas led him to the bathroom. He showed him all the things he needed and left him to shower. Cade took his time washing, wondering how it would feel to touch his master. The thought made his cock stir and he quickly finished washing and scrambled out of the shower. He didn’t want to have his cock harden without his master around to touch him.

“About time,” Calvin teased when Cade emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed. “Then again, with how loud you were last night, I would say you had a lot to wash off.” 

Cade’s face burned in embarrassment and he hesitated for a minute before moving to the couch. Calvin was watching the… Cade couldn’t remember what the black square was called. There were several people on it, all talking about something that happened to people last night. Cade tried to follow along, but he didn’t know who the people were or what had happened to them.

Several books were spread across the small table in front of the couch and Calvin was looking over them. These books were much different then Eden’s. They were thin and filled with colorful drawings and the odd black marks were much larger and there were only a few of them on each page.

“I’m taking a children’s literature class,” Calvin explained, watching Cade flip through one of the books.

“I’m not sure if Cade understands you,” Lucas said, walking into the room with a cup in his hand. “He doesn’t know how to read.”

Calvin’s green eyes turned to Cade, making him squirm uncomfortably. “You don’t know how to read?” Cade looked down at his hands and shook his head. “Would you like to learn?”

“I don’t know,” Cade whispered weakly. 

“Well I can teach you and I would love to do it,” Calvin replied happily.

“He has no education,” Lucas said, hooking a finger under Cade’s chin. He lifted Cade’s head and gave the slave a small smile. “I’m sure that there is a lot you could teach him.”  
“My master might not approve,” Cade replied quickly.

“I doubt that,” Calvin snorted, “but I will talk to him if you want me to and I’m sure he’ll tell you exactly what he told you last night.”

“Just because he says those things in front of you doesn’t mean they are true,” Cade replied coldly.

“Little one,” Lucas sighed, shaking his head. “Eden is not like that. When he tells you something, he means it.” Cade didn’t reply, he might have only had one master before this one, but he knew what he was supposed to do and it had nothing to do with learning to read. 

Lucas sighed again and slid into the chair next to Cade. “Don’t act like this. Eden wants you to have everything and he’s not going to take it away from you once you have it.” 

“Eden is my master and he is to do with me as he pleases,” Cade droned, repeating the exact words his old master forced him to repeat daily.

“I want to vomit every time you say things like that,” Calvin ground out.

“Calvin,” Lucas said softly, “he was trained to say exactly what he’s saying. It’s not going to be easy to break him of this habit.”

“No one should be forced to say things like that,” Calvin muttered. He began to pack the books into a bag, gently pulling the one out of Cade’s hand. “I will talk to Eden and tomorrow you and I will start on the alphabet. You will learn to read whether your master likes it or not. I will not deny you an education.”

Cade nodded even though he knew it would never happen. He was sure Eden wouldn’t allow Calvin to teach Cade anything. After all, Eden said that being smarter then Cade was how he had power over him. Lucas was watching him quietly, his hand resting gently on top of Cade’s while he drank whatever was in his cup.

“I’ll see the two of you later,” Calvin said, setting a hand on Cade’s shoulder and squeezing gently. He left the house, leaving the room in silence. Cade was tempted to jerk his hand away from Lucas’s, but he still worried about being punished.

“Alright, little one,” Lucas said sternly. “Eden left you in my care and I’m not going to let you sit here all day. Come, you need to eat something.” Lucas stood, but Cade refused to move. He wanted to be left alone until his master came home. “Now,” Lucas growled, causing panic to rise inside Cade. He jumped to his feet and followed Lucas into the kitchen. Lucas shoved him into a chair at the table and went around making food.

He set a plate in front of Cade and ordered him to eat. Cade took his time eating, trying hard to waste as much time as possible. Lucas jerked the plate off the table when Cade was finished, washing the dishes and turning to look back at Cade.

“I have some work to do,” he said firmly. “As Eden said yesterday, you are free to roam the house, just don’t go outside.” Cade nodded, getting to his feet. He headed to his master’s room and shut the door. He wanted to be left alone and it was safer if he was away from Lucas.

Dropping onto the bed, Cade groaned. He didn’t like this, his master wouldn’t tell him what to do and there were too many other people asking him what he wanted to do, expecting him to enjoy himself. He just wanted things to be easy like they had before.

~~~  
Cade jerked awake when the bed sagged and he looked up into Raf’s grey eyes. “Eden says you can’t coop yourself up in this room all day,” he said softly.

“I just want to be left alone,” Cade mumbled, rolling onto his stomach and hid his face in his arms. Raf set a hand on Cade’s back, rubbing circles over the skin.

“Listen, little one,” Raf whispered, “I know this is tough and there are a lot of changes, but you can’t refuse to do anything because you don’t like it.”

“How can I do things when Lucas might punish me?” Cade demanded angrily. He rolled onto his back and looked up at Raf’s soft face.

“Lucas is not going to punish you,” Raf replied. “You’re not doing anything wrong and Lucas will follow Eden’s rules.”

“Why did he have to go?” Cade pouted, feeling like a child. Raf didn’t seem bothered by it as he chuckled and laid out across the bed.

“Because Eden has to go to school so he can get a good job that will pay him well,” Raf replied, gently stroking Cade’s face. “He also has to go to work so he can pay for school and for the things both he and you need to live.” Cade understood what Raf was saying and he rolled onto his side and buried his face into Raf’s chest. “I understand that this is hard, little one. You now have freedom you didn’t have before and Eden encourages you to have your own opinion. Not to mention the fact that you now have three other men who are watching after you.”

“I feel lost,” Cade whispered. “My master isn’t here and I’m afraid that I might do something wrong and get beaten bloody.”

“Cade,” Raf cupped Cade’s face in his hand and forced him to look up. “No one is going to beat you bloody and we are going to keep Dennis away from you so he won’t cause trouble either. Eden won’t lay a hand on you and Lucas will only correct you with a stern word if you give him lip.”

Cade sighed, thinking again about this morning and how stern Lucas was when Cade refused to do what he asked. He whished his master was here instead of Raf so he could tell him what to do. “What does Raf mean?” Cade asked after a moment of silence.

“It’s short for Rafael,” Raf explained. “My mother was in love with the arch angels. My other two brothers are named Michael and Gabriel.”

“You knew your mother?” Cade asked curiously.

“I still know her,” Raf smiled, “she raised me.”

“I don’t know my mother,” Cade said sadly. “When I asked my master about her he told me she was a whore used to make more whores… I don’t know what a whore is, but I guess that’s what I am.” 

“You are not a whore and I’m sure your mother wasn’t one either. Most slaves don’t know their mothers when they come from a farm. Women usually give birth and their children are taken away because they don’t want them to learn anything from them.”

“Learn anything like what?” Cade asked.

“They don’t want the mothers to teach their children to be defiant…” Raf paused when Cade gave him a confused look. “To act badly because their mothers tell them to.”

“Oh,” Cade sat up, crossing his legs. “What was your mother like?” Cade asked, looking away shamefully. He probably shouldn’t be asking this question, but he wanted to know.

“She is a lovely woman and she took very good care of my brothers and I. She raised us practically alone. My father worked all the time,” bitterness melted into Raf’s voice and Cade got the feeling that the man didn’t care for his father like he did for his mother. Raf’s grey eyes met Cade’s brown ones. “Are you hungry? You’ve been cooped up in this room all day.”

Cade felt his stomach rumble and he nodded. Raf climbed off the bed and held out his hand. His long, soft fingers curled around Cade’s small hand and he pulled him off the bed. The house was silent as they walked through the living room, everyone else obviously gone. 

In the kitchen, Raf set Cade in a chair and went off to make him food. He set a plate of pasta on the table and ran his fingers through Cade’s hair before leaving him to eat. Cade slowly ate his dinner, watching Raf shuffle through the pack he had carried into the room, pulling out more books and a small, odd shaped hard thing. The top of it separated from the bottom and Raf touched something that made the thing make an odd noise. 

“What is that?” Cade asked, trying hard not to get up and look at the other side of the thing.

“It is a computer,” Raf replied, turning the thing around to face Cade. The front of it looked like the black thing Eden had in his room, but the bottom was covered in those odd markings that Cade had seen in the books. “I use it to write my papers and waste time.”

Cade didn’t understand again what he was being told, but he nodded and acted like he did. Cade returned to his food, wondering when his master would be home. He cleared his plate and brought it to the sink, washing it like he had been taught. Setting it in the drain, Cade turned around, wondering what he should do now. Raf seemed to have things to do and he didn’t want to bother him.

“Hello?” Excitement filled Cade when he heard his master’s voice.

“In the kitchen,” Raf called, his eyes stuck on his computer. Cade moved to the entrance of the kitchen, halting when he realized that his master probably already knew about what he had done all day. He shrank back behind the cabinets when Eden entered the room. 

He ducked his head low when Eden’s blue eyes turned to him, his fingers gripping the counter tightly. He dropped to the floor when Eden’s feet rounded the corned, wincing when pain shot up his back. 

Eden was dressed very differently today. His dark pants were pressed and he wore a long sleeved blue shirt that was covered by a black jacket. His shining black shoes were quiet as they crossed the floor, stopping in front of Cade.

He master knelt down and sat in front of him, giving Cade the same soft smile he always gave him. “Welcome home,” Cade whispered, remembering that is was the polite thing to do.  
“Thank you,” Eden replied. “I heard you gave Lucas some trouble.”

Cade quickly shook his head, he had been a bit stubborn, but he didn’t cause trouble. The last thing he wanted to do was cause trouble and get punished. “I stayed out of his way.”  
“Yes, I heard that too,” Eden nodded. “You know you can trust Lucas, he may be a bit stern, but he won’t hurt you.” Eden paused, watching Cade carefully. “Calvin told me that he would like to teach you to read. He asked me if it was alright and he told me that you didn’t think I would allow it.”

“You said yesterday that your intelligence was power,” Cade replied, pulling his knees up to his chest.

“I don’t have any power over you, little one. I only want you to have the opportunity to do things you couldn't do before. Would you like to learn to read?”

“I don’t know,” Cade whispered, “it sounds hard.”

“It might be hard, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Reading is one of the greatest things you can learn to do. There is so much you can learn from a book.” Eden pulled off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He held his arms open to Cade, giving him a hopeful smile.

Cade shifted forward, reaching for his master. Eden took hold of his hips and pulled him forward. He pulled Cade into his lap so his legs were on either sides of Eden’s hips and he was able to look his master in the eye. Eden smiled at him and leaned forward leaving Cade a light kiss on his lips.

“Calvin said he wants to teach me other things,” Cade whispered, sliding his fingers through Eden’s soft black hair.

“He does, math, science, writing and whatever else he can,” Eden chuckled. “Actually, he would like to use you as a project for one of his classes. You will have to go to class with him a few times so he can present your progress, which will get you out of the house on occasion. He asked me several times if it was alright and I told him that he needed to ask you.” Eden cupped Cade’s face in his hands. “This is your decision. I do encourage that you let Calvin teach you everything he can, but I will not tell you what you can and can not do.”

“That’s how you get spoiled slaves,” someone growled above them. Cade looked up into Dennis’s cold face and cringed, burying his face in Eden’s neck.

“Maybe I want to spoil him,” Eden replied calmly. Dennis snorted and Cade clutched tightly to Eden’s arms when he heard the sound of shoes lifting and dropping back down onto the floor near him.

“Don’t think I wont whip the little whore if he gets too out of hand” Dennis sneered, sounding further away.

“You have no right to touch him,” Eden growled, placing a comforting hand on Cade’s back. Cade heard Dennis snort and then silence. “I will also not let Dennis hinder you from getting an education.”

“What does hinder mean?” Cade whispered into Eden’s ear.

“It means to keep you from doing something,” Eden replied, tugging on the back of Cade’s shirt. Cade sat back and looked up into his master’s eyes. Eden gave him another smiled and stroked his cheek.

“I missed you,” Cade whispered, feeling his face heat.

“I thought a lot about you today too,” Eden smiled, laughing lightly, “I got in trouble at work for it too.”

“I’m sorry,” Cade whispered.

“No, little one, you shouldn't be sorry because you’re always on my mind.” Eden shook his head, leaning forward and kissing Cade. “So,” he pulled away and looked curiously into Cade’s eyes. Would you like to try to learn to read?”

“It would be better then sitting around all day,” Cade nodded. “I would like to give it a try.” Eden smiled happily and pulled Cade forward, pressing their lips together in a more loving kiss.  
“Good, I’ll let Calvin know when he gets home.”


	4. Chapter 4

“This is the alphabet,” Calvin explained, laying a book down on the kitchen table. “We’ll start with each letter and move on from there.”

Cade looked down at the thick black lines that formed this alphabet. He felt fear well up inside of him and glanced up at Eden, who was reading a paper across the table. He was too busy doing what Cade was eventually going to learn to do to notice that Cade was giving him a terrified look.

A hand gently cupped Cade’s cheek and he was forced to look back down at the book. “Pay attention and don’t expect Eden to save you,” Calvin said, tapping the book.

“Don’t stress him out,” Eden warned, glancing over the paper to look at the two.

“I’m not stressing him out,” Calvin replied, “but he’s not going to learn if you keep saving him from stressful situations.”

“I’m not saving him,” Eden smiled. “I’m merely telling you that if you stress him out too much, he wont want you to teach him anything.”

Calvin rolled his eyes and looked down at Cade, who flinched. “Don’t worry, Cade, it’s really not as hard as you think.”

“How am I supposed to learn when I don’t understand it at all?” Cade asked weakly.

“Because I’ll teach you,” Calvin replied calmly. He pointed to the letter at the top left side of the page. “This is the letter A.”

Cade studied the letter, looking at the picture next to it. It was a picture of an apple, which seemed a little odd to Cade. He mouthed the word several times, trying to understand why the two were together.

“Apple,” Cade said after a moment, “it starts with A.”

Calvin smiled and nodded. “Yes, it starts with A.” He pointed to the next letter, “this is B.”

Feeling a little more confident, Cade inspected the next letter before looking at the picture. He faltered when he didn’t recognize what the picture was. It looked like a giant dog and Cade mouthed the word ‘dog’ several times trying to connect the word with the letter. His palms began to sweat when he couldn’t make the connection and wondered if this was really a good idea.  
“I have a feeling you didn’t take into consideration that Cade might not know what the pictures are,” Eden said. He had set down the paper and slid into the chair next to Cade. “It’s a bear,” he said, pointing to the picture.

“Bear,” Cade replied, immediately recognizing the connection to the letter, “it starts with B.”

“Yes,” Calvin smiled.

“What is a bear?” Cade asked, the last of his confidence draining away. He felt as stupid as his old master used to say he was. Sensing Cade’s misery, Eden set a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.

“Well, it’s a…” Calvin faltered and he sat thinking for several seconds.

“I’m sorry, little one,” Eden started, nuzzling Cade’s cheek, “but I’m afraid that the explanation contains even more words you don’t understand.”

“OK,” Cade sighed, he was never going to learn all this.

“Let’s finish with our lesson and I’ll show you something that will help you understand what we can’t easily explain to you,” Calvin promised. Cade nodded, feeling very unintelligent again.   
“I have to get to class,” Eden said, lifting Cade’s chin and giving him a swift kiss. “I’ll be back at two and since I don’t have to work maybe you and I can find something to do.”

“I would like that,” Cade smiled leaning forward when Eden pulled him close for another kiss. Eden left them alone and Cade returned his attention to Calvin’s lecturing. Calvin ended half way through the alphabet, stating that he didn’t want to give Cade too much on his first day.

“We can start on numbers after lunch,” Calving said, taking Cade’s hand and pulling him to a room he hadn’t been in yet. It appeared to be Calvin’s bedroom, which was much different then Eden’s. His bed was much smaller and the sheets were in a ball in the middle of it, making it look like a giant mess. A dresser sat on the left wall and several shelves above it held several books. His television was also smaller and looked old.

Calvin steered Cade to the newest looking thing in the room. Cade remembered the word from Raf. It was a computer. Calvin set Cade in a chair and pulled another over, sitting in it himself.   
“I know there were a few pictures you couldn’t recognize and this is the best way to show you.” Calvin hit a button and the computer made an odd noise. They waited for it to do something and Cade was surprised when a picture came up, along with several other shapes scattered across the picture.

Calvin moved something to Cade’s right and a small triangle moved across the screen, stopping when it hovered over a small round picture on the computer. Cade heard an odd clicking noise and jumped when something opened on the screen. 

A large white picture emerged, with a word on it. Cade tried to recognize the letters, but Calvin had done something else and the picture was gone. A new picture appeared, with several more letters. Cade’s eyes flashed over each of them, recognizing a few before Calvin made the picture disappear. 

“This is a bear,” Calvin said. Like on the television, the pictures began to move and Cade watched as the picture he had looked at before came to life. Watching this bear move around was almost terrifying to Cade. It was a large furry thing that roared and stood up on its legs looking larger and much more terrifying.

“I don’t want to see one of those,” Cade whispered.

“Well, lucky for you there haven’t been any sightings around here,” Calvin chuckled. He did something again and a new moving picture came up. A picture of an elephant appeared and Cade’s brown eyes widened at the size of the animal. 

“I want to see this one even less,” Cade cringed when the creature made a loud, terrifying noise.

“The only place you’ll see an elephant is at the zoo and there will be a large barrier between you and it. But I would like to take you to the zoo at some point. It would be good for you.”

“Will Eden come?” Cade asked. He would feel better around these terrifying creatures if his master was there.

“I’m sure Eden would love to come,” Calvin smiled. “Would you like to see more?” Cade nodded and Calvin made another moving picture appear.

It was early afternoon when Cade and Calvin emerged from his room. Cade’s mind was spinning from everything he saw and what Calvin had explained to him. He was surprised to see Raf and Lucas home and wondered how he hadn’t heard them come in. The two were sitting on the couch having a conversation about something, both pausing when Cade walked towards them.  
“Well you look like you have been absorbing information like a sponge,” Raf chuckled, holding his arms out for Cade. Cade slowly went to him, keeping his eyes on Lucas. Eden might have told him several times that Lucas wouldn’t hurt him, but he still didn’t trust the man.

“I didn’t know sponges absorbed information,” Cade said, thinking about the one he used to clean his dishes with.

“They don’t,” Lucan laughed. “It’s just a saying.”

“It’s an odd saying,” Cade replied, settling into Raf’s lap.

“Give it time, you’ll understand it,” Raf chuckled, setting his hands on Cade’s knees. “Eden will be home in a few hours, are you excited?”

Cade nodded, though it was more relief then excitement that he felt. Eden seemed to know just what Cade needed and it was easier if his master was there to help him then Cade trying to explain to the others what he wanted.

“I’m sure you’re hungry too,” Lucas said, smiling when Cade’s stomach suddenly rumbled. “Learning usually works up an appetite. I’ll make you something to eat.

Lucas held out a hand for Cade, causing him to shrink back against Raf’s chest.

“Go with him,” Raf whispered into Cade’s ear, nudging him forward. Reluctantly, Cade took Lucas’s hand and followed him to the kitchen. Raf followed closely behind him and Calvin was already seated at the table, eating the last of the chicken they had had the night before. 

It was then that Cade noticed that the three were acting differently, almost like they were trying to protect Cade from something. Cade didn’t question it as he sat down next to Calvin and accepted the bowl of soup Lucas handed him. Raf and Lucas found something to eat themselves, keeping close to Cade.

Calvin started on numbers after lunch and Cade seemed to grasp them faster then the letters. He knew how to count already; he just had to put the numbers he knew with the black marks on the paper. 

“We might actually start on math tomorrow. Simple addition and subtraction.” Calvin smiled, running his fingers through Cade’s brown hair. Cade nodded, getting up from his seat. He left Calvin in the kitchen and headed to the bathroom, feeling both Raf and Lucas’s eyes on him.

He shut the door to the bathroom and breathed a strained sigh. He didn’t understand why the three were suddenly so worried, but it didn’t make Cade feel good. He did what he needed in the bathroom and headed back into the living room. It was now empty and Cade could hear the other’s voices in the kitchen.

He decided to settle on the couch, wondering how much longer it would be before Eden came home. The television was on and Cade watched as someone ran down a street wile three men chased them. He settled back into the couch and closed his eyes, imagining the letters and numbers he had seen today. He tried to name them all, but there were several he missed.

He heard someone come out of the kitchen, keeping his eyes closed as he worked on the alphabet again. He let out a strangled cry when a rough hand clamped around his throat and he was dragged off the couch. His back collided with the floor and the last of the air in his body left him. He opened his eyes and looked up into Dennis’s cruel face.

“Whores belong on the floor,” he growled. He released Cade’s neck and took a seat on the couch, nudging Cade with his foot when he began coughing. “And they should be fucking silent too.”  
He reached for Cade again, but another hand intercepted his. Lucas was looking angrily down at Dennis and Raf came to Cade’s side, wrapping him up in his arms.

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you,” Lucas growled, releasing Dennis when he saw that Cade was safe in Raf’s arms.  
“He is a slave, slaves belong on the floor. You know that,” Dennis growled.

“He is not my slave,” Lucas barked. “He is Eden’s and you will follow Eden’s rules. If he allows Cade to sit on the couch, then he can sit on the couch.”

“You’re going fucking soft,” Dennis stood up and looked hard into Lucas’s green eyes. “I remember when you used to discipline your slaves the right way and now you’re letting them get away with fucking murder.”

“No, I know when I can and can not command a slave. It’s not my place to teach Eden’s slave and it’s not yours either,” Lucas scowled. “If you’re not going to do what Eden asked, then you need to leave.” Dennis glanced down at Cade, grumbling something he couldn’t here. He shouldered past Lucas and went to his room.

“Let me look, little one,” Raf whispered, trying to pry Cade’s fingers from his neck.

“I want Eden,” Cade whimpered, his whole body shaking.

“He’ll be home soon,” Lucas whispered, placing a gentle but firm hand on Cade’s back. Cade clutched at his neck, ignoring the pain it caused as he refused to let Raf look. A sob tore through him when Raf managed to get his hand away.

“It’s not bad,” Raf said, giving him a small smile. “You’ll be alright.”

“I want Eden,” Cade whispered again, laying his head on Raf’s shoulder. Lips pressed against both his forehead and his cheek at the same time as he sniffled helplessly.

“He’s coming, I promise,” Raf whispered, holding Cade tighter. Lucas was closer now, Cade could feel his breath on his cheek and his chin on his shoulder. The man made him tense even more and he badly wanted to scream at him to go away.

The front door opened and Cade struggled to get away from the two men’s hold. He wanted to get to his master; he wanted the man to protect him. Raf let him up and he jumped to his feet, rushing to Eden. He threw his arms around him, holding him tightly as he sobbed against Eden’s shoulder. 

“What happened?” Eden asked to the room, setting a gentle hand on Cade’s back.

“He had another run in with Dennis,” Raf explained. Cade was sure Raf had made some sort of motion to Cade’s neck because Eden gasped and pushed Cade away from him.

“Let me see,” Eden said, worry filling his voice. He gently took Cade’s chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting his head so he could look at his neck.

“He said I was supposed to sit on the floor,” Cade said, vigorously rubbing his eyes. Now that it was all over and he was safe in Eden’s arms, he felt stupid for overreacting. His old master had always said Cade was too soft and that he would need to toughen up before he was sold. 

“You are not a dog, Cade, you don’t sit on the floor.” Eden pulled him back to his chest and kissed the top of his head. “I’m going to change and I think you and I need to get out of this house for a little while.”

“I need to go grocery shopping,” Raf said. “If you want to tag along.” Cade didn’t know if Eden agreed or not, he simply let his master guide him to his room. He sat down on the bed when Eden let him go, watching him shut the door.

“Is he always like that?” Cade whispered, watching Eden jerk off his shirt.

“Yes,” Eden sighed, his eyes focused on Cade’s neck. “As I have said, his family owns one of the largest slave farms in the country and he was taught that slaves are nothing and you can do to them what you wish.”

“Why weren’t you taught the same way?” Cade asked.

“My parents were never mean to our slaves. They reprimanded them when needed and those who didn’t behave were sold, but they never taught me to strike a slave for no reason.” Eden slid out of his neat pants and replaced them with a pair of faded jeans.

He left his shirt off, crossing the room to where Cade sat. “My parents also taught me to respect our slaves. If I respect them, then they respect me.” Cade nodded, though he didn’t know what the word respect meant. He didn’t bother to ask, still trying to remember everything else he learned today.

Eden’s fingers ghosted over Cade’s neck, gently touching the painful bruises that were now forming. Cade stared at Eden’s flat stomach, licking his lips. He suddenly leaned forward, hearing Eden laugh when his lips pressed against the smooth skin. Eden tasted like something Cade had never tasted before and he wanted more. He kissed the skin again, letting his tongue slide out of his mouth.

“Are you ready to go?” Cade jerked away when Raf walked into the room, his face burning when he glanced at the man. “Or were you just going to stay here?”

“No, we’re coming. Let me just get a shirt.” Eden left Cade’s side and looked through his drawers. Cade took his master’s hand when it was offered and let him lead him out of the room. They walked past the car Cade had arrived in and stopped in front of the bigger one next to it. 

Eden placed Cade in the back seat and settled next to him. Raf climbed into the drivers seat and Lucas trotted from the house, sliding into the seat next to him. Raf started the car and turned around so he could back out of the driveway.

“Have you ever been to a store?” he asked, glancing at Cade before turning around and driving away.

“No,” Cade replied quietly.

“It’s not that exciting,” Lucas chuckled.

“But it’s gets us out of the house for a bit,” Eden whispered, nuzzling Cade’s cheek. Cade sighed, wishing that they didn’t have to go back, or that Dennis would just leave… forever. 

Lucas was right; the store wasn’t interesting at all. It was just a large building filled with food. Eden bought several things, asking Cade if he had ever tried any of them. When he shook his head his master told him he would like it and dropped it into the cart. Cade didn’t understand how the three shopped. They all bought their own things, but they also bought food they claimed was for the house.

Eden explained that it was because they liked to eat together, so they pooled their money and bought things they could make for dinner. Cade sort of understood, but he also worried that his master was spending too much money on him.

Cade had heard of slaves earning their freedom by working off their debt and the more their master spent on them, the longer they had to work. Cade enjoyed his master very much, but he still had that quiet thought of freedom. He wondered what being free would be like as he wandered down another isle with his master.

He laughed silently when he realized that it was probably exactly what his master was doing right now: working, going to school and buying food. The only difference was Cade wouldn't own slaves if he was free.

“What’s on your mind, little one?” Raf asked. Cade faltered when he realized his mind had drifted off and he hadn’t kept up with the group. He felt ashamed for thinking about something he would never have and he felt even more ashamed that he had done it in front of his master.

“Just… thinking,” Cade replied quietly.

“About what?” Raf asked, walking back to where Cade was standing and taking his hand.

“Just thinking,” Cade said again.

“Well it must have been a good thought,” Raf chuckled, “you didn’t respond to any of us for a few minutes.” The shame built inside Cade and he scolded himself. He shouldn’t be having any thoughts of freedom. He was a slave and there was no changing that.

They moved to the front of the store and Eden paid for his things, handing Cade a bag and asking him if he could carry it. Cade took it obediently, pretending like his master had ordered him to do it instead of asked.

The drive home for Cade was uncomfortable as thoughts of freedom slipped into his mind while Eden held him close. The lights were off when they arrived and Lucas muttered that Dennis must have gone out. Cade helped them carry in the groceries in and put them where Eden told him they needed to go. 

Raf shooed them from the kitchen when the bags were emptied and Eden took Cade back to his room. “While Raf makes dinner,” he said, pulling off his shirt, “I was wondering if you would like to have some fun.”

Cade’s cock jerked in his pants and he felt his face turn a deep red. He wasn’t sure if he could call this fun, but he did enjoy it. Eden kept his pants on as he slid onto the bed, laying on his back. He motioned Cade over to him and pulled his shirt over his head.

Cade shivered when Eden’s large hand pressed against his chest, his palm sliding over his nipple. Cade whimpered at the tingling feeling and pressed himself harder against his master’s hand. Cade leaned down, covering his master’s lips with his own and sliding his fingers through his dark hair.

“Master,” Cade whispered when Eden’s hands slid into Cade’s jeans.

“I told you,” Eden whispered, withdrawing his hands, “not to call me master.”

“Sorry,” Cade whispered.

“Don’t be sorry,” Eden soothed. “Just say my name.”

“Eden,” Cade whispered, feeling the name slide from his lips like a sin. Eden smiled and slid his hands back over Cade’s ass. “Are we going to…” Cade hesitated, pushing himself further into Eden’s hand, “do what we did that day?”

“No, little one, you’re not ready for that yet,” Eden replied. Cade frowned, he wasn’t sore anymore, so he didn’t understand what his master was waiting for. He gasped when he was flipped onto his back, Eden’s hands now undoing his jeans. “I can, however, do something else that might make you happy.”

Eden pulled Cade’s jeans off and rolled him back onto his stomach. Cade waited quietly when his master’s hands cupped his ass. He sucked in a breath when he felt Eden’s face burry between his cheeks, his tongue dancing over his entrance. Cade shoved his face in a pillow and moaned, spreading his legs wider.

Eden’s tongue pushed into him and Cade felt his cock pulse as pleasure spread from deep within him. Cade pulled his face away from the pillow to whimper Eden’s name several times before being forced to bite down on something to keep from getting any louder.

Eden’s hand was now wrapped around Cade’s cock, stroking him as his tongue slid in and out of him. Cade could feel the pressure building and he moaned into the pillow when his hips jerked. Come hit his chest and he shuddered as more spilled out of him.

He fell on his side when Eden pulled away, panting and smiling happily. Eden grabbed his hips and rolled him so he was on his back. Cade giggled when Eden’s tongue slid over his chest, licking up all he could. He slid his hands through Eden’s thick black hair when he suddenly realized that his master was still clothed.

He pushed Eden away and looked up at him, not sure what to do now. “What’s wrong?” Eden asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“May I do that to you?” Cade whispered.

“No,” Eden chuckled, “not that, little one. I don’t think you’re ready for that.” He unbuttoned his jeans and slid them off his hips, freeing his long, hard cock. “But there is something you can do if you would like.”

Cade licked his suddenly dry lips and nodded, sliding closer to Eden when he motioned him forward. He took Cade’s hand and guided it to his cock. He wrapped Cade’s hand around the base, sliding it up and down the shaft.

“Just like this,” Eden breathed heavily, “and don’t stop.” Cade nodded and continued to run his hand over the shaft, watching as his master moaned. Eden’s took Cade’s face in his hand, kissing him deeply. Cade tried to concentrate on touching his master, while opening his mouth for his tongue to slide in. 

Eden moaned against his lips, taking Cade’s other hand and guiding it to his testicles. Cade had to pull away from Eden’s mouth so he could concentrate on both his hands. He looked down at Eden’s cock, sucking his lower lip between his teeth. 

“God, Cade,” Eden breathed, his blue eyes watching Cade’s face.

Eden threw his head back; his hips jerking as he suddenly came. The sight scared Cade. He had never caused such a reaction before and the feel of come on his hands was odd. He slid his fingers through it, feeling it stick between them. He had the desire to taste it, but Eden took his hands and wiped them off before he could.

“Dinner will be ready soon, let’s get cleaned up,” he said. With that, their moment was over and Cade was again forced back into the kitchen when all he wanted to do was lay naked with his master in bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Cade sat quietly pressed against Eden’s chest, a thin book in his hand. His brown eyes hovered over a word for several seconds, his mouth moving silently as he sounded them out in his mind. A smile would tug at his lips when the word would finally come to him and he eagerly moved on to the next word. When he reached the period, his eyes darted back to the beginning of the sentence and read the whole thing again. He had been reading the same book since that morning, determined to get through it by the end of the day.

Calvin was very surprised at how fast Cade was learning and he had managed to move quickly through the alphabet and on to small words and a few short sentences. He was currently reading a book about a young girl who could run, something that sounded ridiculous to him, but it was all he could understand at the moment.

Along with his lessons, Eden had begun to read to him, stating that every one learns to read faster if they are read to. He had borrowed a few harder books from Calvin and spent an hour every night reading to Cade. Cade believed it worked, considering that he could follow along with Eden and understand several words on each page. 

Though Cade enjoyed hearing his master read to him, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something else they could be doing at night.

Eden hadn’t touched him again since the day they went to the store several weeks ago and even their kisses were quick and left Cade feeling lonely. He was sure his master was already growing tired of him, but he feared that bringing up the issue would make Eden send him off to sale. So he kept quiet and let himself enjoy the small amount of pleasure Eden would give him.

Eden was watching some sort of show with Raf, both men commenting when something happened that they either liked or disliked. Cade ignored the two, turning the page of his book and starting on the next line. It had taken him an hour to get through a few pages, his stubbornness refusing to allow him to ask Eden for help when he ran into a hard word. He needed to do it on his own; no matter how long it took

Thankfully, math was easier and he was surprised to find that normal addition and subtraction was something he had always been able to do. He was quickly moving through his math problems and Calvin had said something about giving him even harder problems. Overall, Cade was happy that he had agreed to his lessons since it gave him something to do during his lonely days at home.

He glanced up when Lucas came through the front door, looking tired and unhappy. He had gone to work today and from what Cade gathered this morning; Lucas had every right to be tired. Cade had asked Eden several days ago what it was that Lucas did and his master had explained that Lucas had created a search engine for the computer. But even after Eden had explained to him what a search engine was and Calvin had shown it to him, Cade still didn’t understand how it worked. How could you tell something what you wanted to find and it would find it for you without going out and actually getting it yourself?

Eden had told Cade to ask Lucas about it, but Cade still didn’t trust the man enough to talk to him and he was sure it still wouldn’t make any more sense if Lucas explained it himself.  
“Rough day?” Raf asked, tearing his eyes away from the television.

“It was fine until my father called,” Lucas replied, his voice cold and hard.

“Oh,” was all Raf said, turning back to the television. Eden had shifted so he could look at Lucas, his face quiet, but his blue eyes watching the man as if he would suddenly turn into a beast. Lucas and Eden stared at each other quietly and Cade wondered if this was some sort of odd way of talking. 

After a few minutes Lucas sighed and looked away from Eden. “No… maybe. I don’t fucking know,” Lucan mumbled. It wasn’t often the men Cade lived with cursed, so it startled him to hear the word tumbled from Lucas’s mouth.

“Let me know,” Eden replied, apparently understanding what he was saying. “I don’t want what happened last time to happen again.”

“Yeah,” Lucas sighed and headed to his room.

“Maybe you should just do it anyway,” Raf suggested when the door to Lucas’s room shut.

“No,” Eden shook his head. “It has to be at the right moment or else it will make it much worse.” Raf nodded and Cade returned to his book, forcing his curiosity to the back of his mind. Whatever it was that had just happened was none of his business and he shouldn’t be asking. 

Through the door, Cade could hear Lucas arguing with someone and Raf glanced at Eden again. Eden didn’t move, but Cade could feel him tense underneath him. After several minutes Lucas appeared wearing a pair of jeans and nothing else, looking furious. A hand on Cade’s back signaled for him to move and he shut the book he was reading and swiftly climbed off Eden’s lap. Eden was on his feet and Raf quickly took hold of Cade’s wrist.

“Come outside with me, little one,” he said, pulling Cade towards the kitchen. Cade glanced back to see Eden move towards Lucas. Lucas’s face was filled with anger and he emitted a terrifying growl when Eden got close. Cade didn’t see the rest as he was dragged into the kitchen and out the back door.

Raf slid the glass doors shut and pulled Cade away from them. “What’s going on?” Cade asked when he heard screaming from inside the house.

“Lucas is mad,” Raf answered, turning his grey eyes to Cade. “When Lucas gets mad he turns into Dennis.” A shiver ran up Cade’s spine and he told himself that he knew Lucas was dangerous, no matter how much Eden said Cade could trust him.

“Will my master be okay?” Cade asked, remembering the look that Lucas gave Eden when he approached him.

“He’ll be fine, Eden has dealt with Lucas’s rage before,” Raf replied.

“So what do we do now?” Cade asked, glancing back at the doors.

“We wait,” Raf replied and sat down in a white chair.

“For how long?” Cade asked, walking over to him. “What if something happens and we don’t hear it? Or what if my master gets hurt?”

“As I have said before, little one,” Raf chuckled, wrapping an arm around Cade’s waist and pulling him closer. He pulled Cade between his legs and nuzzled his neck. “Eden will be fine and he is not your master, he is just Eden.”

Cade stopped himself from rolling his eyes and stood quietly. It was the first time he had been in the back yard and though it was just a large open area, there were marks on the ground that told Cade the group liked to spend their time out there. 

“So what do you do back here?” Cade asked, looking into Raf’s grey eyes.

“Well, we have a grill so when it’s warm we usually like to cook outside. Our neighbors,” Raf pointed to the house on the right, “like to have a couple of parties and they tend to spill over onto our lawn. The other neighbors are a group of girls and when they found out that no one in the house worth their attention was interested in women, they decided to leave us alone.”

“What do you me no one is interested in women?” Cade asked curiously.

“Well, Eden, Lucas and I prefer to be with other men. Lucas will bring a woman home every once in a while if he’s really interested, but he would rather spend the day in bed with another man. Calvin is dating his high school girlfriend, so he’s not exactly looking for someone either and Dennis, though he prefers women, is just too grouchy to be around that no one really wants to give him the time.”

“I’ve never seen Calvin with a woman,” Cade whispered.

“He doesn’t bring her around often, but the reason why he’s usually not here on the weekends is because he’s spending it with her. They have a bit of an odd relationship, but it has worked for the last eight years and neither of them are unhappy.”

“Are you dating anyone?” Cade knew he shouldn’t be asking something so personal, but it was the first time he had had the chance to ask it.

“I just got out of a relationship and it’s a little too soon for me to go looking for another man, unless I want a bed buddy for the night,” Raf chuckled.   
“I don’t understand,” Cade replied.

Raf looked down at him, his eyes sparkling with laughter. “Some people, after they have left the person they have been dating for a long time, go out and find a stranger to have sex with. They call it a rebound, someone that fills that loss with something meaningless.” 

Cade nodded. “Will you find someone else?” he asked, playing with the buttons on Raf’s shirt.

“I will eventually,” Raf sighed, running his hands up Cade’s back. “But for now I think I’ll stay single just a little longer.”

“And what about Lucas and my mas… and Eden?” Cade asked shyly.

“Lucas isn’t dating anyone at the moment. He flops in and out of relationships every once in a while. He’s very picky about the men he’s with and if they can’t handle him, they don’t stay long.”  
“Because he’s so mad?”

“Sometimes and other time it’s just because of his personality. As you know, he can be cold and his behavior can be off-putting. But it’s all in defense. Lucas has been hurt before and he is afraid everyone else is going to hurt him. So he puts on a front and scares people away before he can get hurt again.”

“I see,” Cade replied, though he didn’t care for the excuse Raf had just made. It sounded too much like Raf was giving Lucas permission to hurt people.

“As for Eden,” Raf smiled when Cade looked up at him again, “he has you.”

“But I’m his slave,” Cade said.

“You are more then just a slave to him, little one,” Raf whispered, running his fingers through Cade’s hair. “You’re someone important.”

Cade was just about to ask what could be so important about him when Eden slid open the back door and stepped out onto the lawn. His black hair was a mess and his clothes looked like they had just been through a fight. He was tugging at the hem of his shirt when he approached the two, keeping his hands at his sides when he stopped in front of Cade.

“He’s better,” he said, answering Raf’s unasked question.

“How are you?” Raf asked, his tone changing as he looked Eden over. Even Cade felt a little worried when Eden’s blue eyes filled with several emotions. “Just explain it slowly, he’ll understand,” Raf said, nudging Cade forward. Cade took a step forward, frowning when Eden moved away from him. 

Suddenly Cade realized that this was what he had been dreading. His master was bored of him and he was going to send him away. Cade’s heart suddenly pounded against his chest and he felt like he couldn’t breath anymore.

“Cade?” Eden asked quietly. Cade tried to look up at him, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t look up at his master’s face and see how disappointed he was. The edges of Cade’s world were going dark and he could hear someone talking but it was muffled and he didn’t understand it.

His knees buckled and he fell into Eden’s chest as everything went dark.

~~~  
“It was only a panic attack,” someone said softly. “He’ll be fine.”

“But why would he have a panic attack?” Eden asked, his voice filled with worry.

“I don’t know,” the other voice replied, “you’ll have to ask him that question if you want a true answer. Slaves have been taught many horrible things by their old masters and anything could have triggered it. Keep him in bed when he wakes up and keep him from getting stressed.”

“I will, thank you doctor,” Eden sighed. Cade opened his eyes when the door shut and he rolled onto his back. It was starting to get dark and his head was throbbing painfully. He was in his master’s bed, the blankets wrapped tightly around him. He could hear his master’s voice just outside the door and began to wiggle out of bed.

When he was finally free, he climbed off the bed and found himself dressed in only a pair of boxers. He went to the door, jumping back when it opened on its own.

“Cade,” Eden said in surprise, “what are you doing out of bed?”

“I need to use the bathroom,” Cade whispered weakly. Eden sighed and moved out of the doorway so Cade could slip past him. Cade hurried to the bathroom and shut the door. He leaned against it and sighed heavily. Eden looked unhappy and Cade knew it was because of this panic attack that he’d had. 

He finished up in the bathroom, hoping that Eden wouldn’t be there waiting when he came out. Unfortunately he was and Cade had no chance of slipping away. “Come back to bed, little one,” he said quietly, holding his hand out for Cade. Cade moved towards him and slid into the room without taking his master’s hand.

He didn’t want to lay down, but he was too afraid of what might happen if he complained. Eden shut the door and swiftly moved to Cade, pulling him into his arms and holding him tightly. “You passed out,” he whispered, and Cade could feel his master’s face in his hair.

“I’m sorry,” Cade replied.

“No,” Eden stepped back to look at him, “I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to tell me what happened. What were you thinking about that made you panic to the point of passing our?” Cade bit his tongue and looked at the floor. “Cade, look at me, please.”

Cade raised his eyes to meet his master’s, his heart pounding in his chest. “I was afraid,” he whispered.

“Of Lucas?” Eden frowned when Cade shook his head. “Then what were you afraid of?”

Cade was quiet, he was trying very hard not to breath and it was making him feel lightheaded. Finally he slowly drew in a small breath through his nose as tears gushed from his eyes. “I’m afraid of who will buy me when you sell me,” he whimpered.

“Sell you?” Eden said confused. “Cade, I’m not going to sell you.”

“But you haven’t touched me, I hardly see you and you don’t kiss me like you used to. Plus we haven’t had…” Cade broke off; it wasn’t his place to demand sex from his master.

“Oh Cade,” Eden chuckled, pulling him against his chest. “I’m sorry that I’ve been neglecting you. I’ve just been busy with work and school.”

“My master shouldn’t be apologizing to me,” Cade said, burying his face in Eden’s shirt. Eden’s arm snaked around his back and Cade was lifted off the floor and laid onto the bed.

“Of course I should be apologizing to you.” Eden lifted Cade’s head and smiled. “You thought I was going to sell you and it made you panic and pass out. I should be sorry for everything.”

“But you wouldn’t touch me before and the way you were looking at me.” Cade’s body trembled when Eden suddenly gave him the same look. “I don’t understand.”

“It wasn’t because of you,” Eden sighed. “It was because of what I had to do with Lucas.”

“Oh,” Cade whispered.

“Cade,” Eden sat up, pulling him with him. He pulled Cade into his lap, positioning him so they were facing each other. Eden slid his fingers through Cade’s brown hair and sighed again. “When Lucas gets angry, the fastest way to subdue him before he starts breaking things is to have sex with him, very rough sex.”

“Oh,” was Cade’s only response.

“Raf won’t do it just because of how rough you have to be with Lucas and Calvin would like to keep his record of men he has had sex with at zero.”

“What about Dennis?” Cade asked.

“Dennis did it once and he left Lucas a bloody mess on his floor. So I do it when I need to and it’s not often, only when I absolutely have to. I don’t like doing it, especially now that I have you, but I’m the only one who Lucas trusts.”

“Why don’t you like doing it because of me?” Cade asked in confusion.

“Because I don’t want you to feel like you are unimportant and as I’ve said before, you are more then just a slave to me,” Eden replied sternly.

“It’s not my place to feel jealous,” Cade whispered.

“Did you feel jealous?”

“No,” Cade replied, sounding a little more defensive then he wanted to. He didn’t like the idea of Eden having sex with other men, especially since his master was refusing to have sex with him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything, little one,” Eden smiled, kissing the top of Cade’s head.

“Why won’t you have sex with me? I’m not sore anymore and it was very nice…” Cade felt his face heat and he looked away. His old master had told him not to beg for anything and here he was, begging for the one thing he shouldn’t want.

“I enjoyed it too, Cade,” Eden chuckled. “But there is still the problem of emotions.”

“I don’t understand,” Cade shook his head.

“You,” Eden hooked a finger under Cade’s chin and lifted his face to look at him, “ only see sex as something my slave is required to do. I want you to look at sex in a different way.” 

“I still don’t understand, how do I look at it in a different way?”

Eden smiled, smoothing back Cade’s hair and kissing the top of his head. “I want you to want it for yourself,” he replied. “You should feel the need to take me to bed and not ask for it, but to actually drag me to bed.”

“We’re in bed now,” Cade said, “does this count?”

“No, little one,” Eden chuckled. “You need to rest and you’re still looking at this like a slave would. Trust me,” Eden placed his hands flat on Cade’s back and leaned forward, laying him gently on the bed, “you’ll know what I mean when the time comes. For now, I’ll fix our kissing problem.”

Cade tensed when Eden leaned down, but offered his master his lips willingly. Cade felt the difference the minute Eden’s lips touched his and he relaxed, opening his mouth to the pleasure. He moaned when Eden’s tongue slid into his mouth and he pushed himself up against his master’s body.

Eden pushed his hips closer to Cade’s, but kept them perfectly still so Cade would understand that they wouldn’t do anything else tonight. It still didn’t stop Cade’s cock from stirring in his boxers. Something else stirred inside him, an emotion he had never felt before. It was a warm feeling that grew the longer Eden kissed him. Maybe this was the feeling his master had been talking about.

Eden pulled away after several long minutes, his smile mirroring Cade’s. “Was that better, little one?”

Cade could only nod, grabbing a handful of his master’s shirt and dragging him down for another kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

“I don’t understand what all of this is for.” Cade looked at the box Raf had set in front of him. A word had been written on the box and Cade tried to sound it out in his mind.

“It’s Halloween,” Raf explained, returning to the closet that the boxes came from. “It’s a holiday.”

“And what do you do on a holiday?” Cade asked, curiously lifting the lid off the box. He jerked backwards when he realized the box was filled with webs that were covered in little spiders.

“You hand out candy to children,” Raf replied, smiling when he saw what Cade had discovered. “Don’t worry, it’s fake.” He plucked the web put of the box and tossed a spider at Cade. He jumped when is landed on his lap, but relaxed when it didn’t start to move.

He cautiously picked it up and found that it was hard and looked nothing like a real spider. “What do you do with it?”

“We decorate the house to make it look scary.”

“But why do you want it to look scary if there will be children around… and what’s candy?” Raf snorted and went to the kitchen. He came back and placed a wrapper in Cade’s hand. Cade studied it for a second and then looked back up at Raf.

“It’s food, you eat it,” Raf said.

“Is it good?” Cade asked, opening the wrapper. The thing inside was a dark brown color and the smell of it made Cade suddenly excited.

“It is good,” Lucas said, emerging from the kitchen. “But it will get Raf in trouble when Eden finds out that he’s been feeding you sweets.”

“It’s one piece,” Raf rolled his eyes. Lucas leaned against the doorway of the kitchen and he looked at Cade with a blank stare. He had kept his distance from Cade and hardly talked to him. Cade didn’t mind the distance between them it made him feel safer. “Try it, Cade.”

Cade nodded, and pulled the piece of candy out of its wrapper. It was a small rectangular shape and there were bumps along the top of it. Cautiously, he took a bite and his eyes widened as a new taste filled his mouth.   
“Do you like it?” Raf asked, a smile stretching across his face as he watched Cade.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Cade replied in awe. “It’s very good.” He ate the rest of the bar and wondered why his master would get angry for eating it. He voiced his question and both Raf and Lucas snorted.

“Chocolate tastes delicious, but too much of it is bad for you and Eden doesn’t want you to fall into bad habits,” Raf replied. Cade nodded, his master had always steered him away from bad things and he was sure that when Eden found out about the chocolate, he would be forbidden from eating it again. 

Raf set a hand on the back of the couch and leaned forward, kissing Cade’s forehead. “Would you like to help me decorate?” Cade agreed and listened to Raf’s instructions on where to hang up little cloth ghosts around the house.

“Does the whole holiday have to do with feeding children candy?” Cade asked as he helped Raf set up fake tombstones in the front yard.

“No,” Raf chuckled. “Halloween is an old celebration of the dead. People used to believe that the demons of Hell walked the earth that night, along with those who have died. So people would dress up in costumes, mimicking those creatures so they weren’t taken by the real demons. I’m not sure where the candy part came from, but as most holidays, we find some way to manipulate them to our customs. On Halloween night the school sets up trick or treating for the kids and the students who live in the dorms or in the apartments near campus like we do. Then we buy copious amounts of candy and hand it out. The kids trick or treat until about nine thirty and then there is a dance on campus for the students and we usually throw a party with the guys next door.”

“Do you dress up too?” Cade asked, he had remembered hearing about Hell and the demons that stole your soul and he worried that it might actually happen to him.

“We’re not big on costumes and I have to work the next day so I will probably go to bed after the kids have gone home. Lucas will probably go and since Dennis hates anything to do with fun, he probably wont be around. Calvin will go to his girlfriends and I’m sure Eden will stay home with you.”

“Why would he stay home with me?” Cade asked, following Raf back into the house. There were a couple more boxes and Raf slid one towards him.

“Because he would rather spend time with you than anywhere else,” Raf replied, pulling off the lid of his box. Cade opened the box next to him and began unwrapping the paper. Painted ceramic ghosts and pumpkins filled the box and Raf instructed him to set them up on a long table underneath the window in the living room. 

“What does Eden usually do on Halloween?” Cade asked curiously as he set the little figurines on the table.

“He usually takes a group of kids out trick or treating, which he’ll do this year since you’ll be helping me hand out candy. Depending on his mood, he’ll either go to a party or hang out here. He never works the day after Halloween so he is free to do what he wants.”

“When is Halloween exactly?”

“Friday,” Raf chuckled, “then we get to the really good holidays.”

“There are more?” Cade asked surprised.

“Yup,” Raf lifted a giant ceramic pumpkin out of its box and set it on the small coffee table in front of the couch. He got up and went to the kitchen, returning with several grocery bags. “There is Thanksgiving at the end of November. It’s a celebration of when the pilgrims first landed on this country and made friends with the Native Americans here. Next,” a large smile spread across Raf’s face, “would be my birthday at the beginning of December. This one you’ll actually get to attend. Christmas is next, along with the end of the semester, which means we will have a lot of free time since none of us go home.

“For Christmas we set up a big tree in the living room that we decorate and put presents under. Then there is New Years, which is pretty much what it sounds like.”

“And then what?” Cade asked, watching Raf open the bags of candy and dumping them in the large pumpkin.

“Then classes begin again at the end of January and we don’t have another holiday until February,” Raf replied. Cade was just about to ask what the holiday was when Eden stepped through the front door. He looked tired, but instead of his usual unhappy mood when he came home from work, he was smiling and seemed excited about something.

“You decorated quick,” he commented, crossing the room and stopping in front of Cade.

“I had help,” Raf replied. Cade smiled up at his master and tilted his head back, asking for a kiss. Eden didn’t hesitate as he leaned down and pressed their lips together.

“You’ve never celebrated Halloween have you?” Eden sighed when Cade shook his head. He glanced at Raf and something passed over his face. “Did you already feed him chocolate?”

“Just one piece and I told him that it wasn’t good for him,” Raf replied honestly.

“Did you like it, little one?” Eden asked, taking Cade’s hand and pulling him towards his bedroom.

“Yes,” Cade answered, remembering the taste. The thought of the delicious treat brought up an odd memory and Cade felt his face heat. He looked away from his master and covered his face in his hands.

“Why are you blushing?” Eden chuckled, pulling Cade’s hands away from his face. 

“The chocolate reminded me of something,” Cade whispered.

“And what was that?” Eden asked curiously, shrugging off his jacket and taking a seat on his bed.

“The night of your birthday,” Cade’s voice got quieter as his face got redder. “It almost made me feel the same way.”

“Well, that is sort of what chocolate does to you,” Eden laughed, unbuttoning his shirt. “Jus don’t go around eating it all the time.” Cade nodded, his brown eyes fixed on his master’s fingers as they pulled off his shirt. 

Every time Cade watched his master undress, he couldn’t stop his sudden need for the man. He badly wanted to reach out and touch his master and on several occasions he had tried, but Eden would always stop him, stating that he wasn’t ready yet.

Gentle hands cupped his face and Cade looked up into his master’s blue eyes. “You always look like you’re in pain when you’re around me,” Eden whispered, his thumb stroking Cade’s cheek.  
“I’m not,” Cade whispered, though he wished Eden would stop making him wait. Eden’s soft fingers curled around Cade’s wrist and he was pulled forward. Cade’s arms immediately wrapped around his master’s waist and he pressed his cheek against his chest. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his master’s skin warm his cheek. Fingers glided through his hair, tickling his scalp.

“How have your lessons been?” Eden asked after a few minutes.

“I’ve started division,” Cade replied with a smile, “and Calvin is going to start teaching me to write.”

“Good,” Eden returned Cade’s smile. “You’re learning quickly.”

“It’s all so amazing,” Cade said joyously, burying his face against Eden’s chest. Eden merely chuckled and held Cade tighter. “Raf told me about all these holidays today.”

“Did he?” Eden asked. Cade nodded and told his master about what he had learned, pausing when he mentioned Raf’s birthday.

“I’ve never heard of people celebrating the day they were born. You did it and now Raf will, but… I don’t understand why it’s so special,” Cade whispered. 

“Because it is a celebration of your life,” Eden explained, pulling away from Cade. “Raf has lived another year of his life and he is healthy and happy. That is why we celebrate birthdays.” Eden paused and turned to look at Cade. “Do you know your birthday?”

“No,” Cade shook is head, “living another year wasn’t exactly a good thing for many of the slaves so there wasn’t really a reason to celebrate it.” Eden nodded, his eyes clouding over in thought.  
“Come to think of it, I don’t rightly know when it is either. I know you’re twenty-two, but that doesn’t mean you have actually turned twenty-two.”

“How can I be and not be twenty-two at the same time?” Cade asked, confused.

“That is because no one wanted to keep track of every slave’s birth date, so they made it so on the first of the year, no matter when you were born, you aged a year.” Eden paused when Cade’s look of confusion grew. “Say you were born in December. January first is the start of the new year, so even though you were just born, on January first you would be considered a year old.”

“Why don’t they wait another year?” Cade asked.

“Because the system is flawed,” Eden shrugged. “So, depending on when you were actually born, you could technically still be twenty-one, although according to your papers you are a year older.”  
“But how will you know and does it really matter?” Cade asked.

“It’s matters to me, little one,” Eden replied softly. “Your birth is just as important as anyone else’s and you should have the opportunity to celebrate it. I’ll have to make some phone calls to see if I can find out when it is.”

Cade wanted to tell his master that it really wasn’t that important, but he knew Eden wouldn’t listen. He stared quietly at the man’s back, his fingers aching to touch the smooth skin. His master bent down to look in a drawer, rounding his back and pulling the muscles tight. A shirt covered the light skin as Eden straightened, drawing Cade away from his fantasies. 

He looked away when his master toed off his shoes and slid off his slacks. He focused on Eden’s desk, frowning when he saw more books piled on it. His master seemed to have more and more work to do every day and Cade wondered if he would ever have time to just relax.

“Let’s go help Raf put up the rest of the decorations.” Cade tore his eyes away from the desk and looked up at his master. Any thought of touching his master was pushed to the back of his mind and he forced himself not to think about it. “I’m sure he’s going to need help carving the pumpkins.” Cade smiled and took his master’s hand; he had never carved a pumpkin before.


	7. Chapter 7

Cade sat quietly at the kitchen table, working on the math problems Calvin had given him the day before. Lucas was sitting across from him, his green eyes watching Cade work while he sipped his coffee. 

Eden had left for class hours ago and Raf was still asleep, which meant that Lucas was the only choice to keep him company. Cade focused on his work, trying to calculate his answer in his head.  
“You missed the three,” Cade jumped when Lucas’s finger pointed out his mistake. “If my math is correct, you’re unable to get a whole number because you missed the three.” Cade stared at the problem, adding the three to his calculation and finally getting the number he wanted.

“Thanks,” he said, quickly glancing up at Lucas. The man gave him a small smile and he went back to his work.

“You know, most people use a calculator for algebra. I’m sure Calvin doesn’t expect you to work all of these out in your head,” Lucas said after a silent moment.

“He gave me a calculator and I can’t figure out how to use it,” Cade replied, scribbling out the equation for the next question. “Besides, I can do the math perfectly fine without it.”

“So I see,” Lucas chuckled. “I’ve never seen someone absorb so much information in the short amount of time they’ve been learning. You are much smarter then a normal slave should be.”

“I wouldn’t be this smart if Eden hadn’t allowed Calvin to teach me,” Cade replied.

“Oh, I believe you would have learned, you always had that look of intelligence and I’m sure in your own way you would have harnessed that intelligence to use.”

“Using my intelligence and actually learning are not the same thing,” Cade muttered.

“No?” Lucas asked, sitting forward. He hooked a finger under Cade’s chin and lifted his head. “You need intelligence to learn and just because you wouldn’t have learned how to read or use numbers doesn’t mean you’re not smart. There are many other types of things to learn that can’t be found in a book or a math problem.”

“You mean like sex?” Cade demanded. “Which is what I’m here for and haven’t had any.”

“Oh, so you don’t like that Eden won’t touch you,” Lucas smiled. Cade jerked his head away when he realized what he had revealed and forced himself to focus on his work. “If it were any other man I would tell you that thinking that way will only get you hurt, but I understand where your frustration is coming from. Eden is very good at keeping his lovers satisfied.”

Cade ignored the comment, knowing that Lucas was talking from experience. He continued on with his work, forgetting that Lucas was at the table with him. He finished the last problem several minutes later and sat back relieved. The more Calvin taught him, the harder the information was. 

Cade enjoyed the challenge, but it all just seemed like something to do when you were bored. He didn’t understand how algebra fit into his life, or how the story of a young boy who got a letter to go to a magic school gave him any information on what to do as a slave.

“You look a little frustrated,” Lucas commented. Cade opened his eyes and stared at the man. Lucas had picked up Cade’s math work and was looking it over. “I’m honestly not the best in math and I can’t get half these answers in my head, but it all looks right.”

“I’m not frustrated about the work,” Cade sighed.

“Is this about Eden withholding sex from you again?” Lucas asked, setting the math problems on the table. Cade shook his head, but didn’t say more. “Then what is it about?”

“It’s nothing,” Cade muttered. “A slave problem.”

“Really,” Lucas laughed out loud. “I’ve never heard something so absurd. The only slave problems I could think about have nothing to do with you, especially since Eden treats you like a treasure. Come on, tell me what’s wrong and maybe I can help.”

Cade stared at the man for a moment and sighed. “I enjoy what Calvin is teaching me, but what does it have to do with real life. When am I ever going to need to do these problems other then for homework? I just want to learn something that is useful to me.”

“It’s all useful, little one,” Raf said, walking into the kitchen. He rubbed his grey eyes and yawned. “It might not seem like it now and you’ll probably never use most of what Calvin is teaching you, but you’ll use some of it.”

“I can’t see that happening,” Cade replied. “I don’t exactly leave the house.”

“And there is the second issue,” Lucas smiled.

“What was the first?” Raf asked curiously, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Cade is upset because Eden isn’t fucking him,” Lucas answered.

“I’m also surprised about that,” Raf said. “Eden has always been gentle with his slaves, but he has never gone so long without taking them to bed.   
“He said I have to want it,” Cade muttered.

“And do you want it?” Lucas asked.

“Yes,” Cade said, sounding a little more frustrated then he wanted.

“Then take him to bed,” Lucas said as if it was obvious.

“Do you think I haven’t tried?” Cade demanded. “Every time I do, he tells me I’m not ready. I don’t even know how much more ready I could be.”

“I think his reluctance is coming from fear that you are forcing yourself into wanting it,” Lucas pondered. “We’ll have to wait till Eden gets home, but I might have an idea.”

“What is it?” Cade asked. Lucas merely smiled and got up from the table.

“I have to get ready for class. I’ll be home around the same time as Eden.” Lucas waved as he disappeared into the living room. Cade glanced at Raf, who was staring curiously at Lucas. He obviously didn’t know what the man had planned either.

Cade let it go and went to grab the book Calvin had asked him to read. It was a book about ancient history and he was enthralled by it. He had never known that people had been alive for so long and he didn’t realize just how amazing they were. The book also made him realize that he was a very lucky slave. If he had been alive thousands of years ago, he probably would have been forced to build a wall, or a tomb for a leader.

Settling on the couch, Cade opened the book to where he left off and reached for the dictionary that sat on the coffee table. There were still several words he needed to look up in order to understand the text, but he liked the challenge.

He looked up when the front door opened, surprised to see that it was pouring outside. Calvin stepped into the house, his brown hair stuck to his head. He pulled off his coat and hung it on a hook and slipped off his shoes.

“I take it you didn’t check the weather before you went to class?” Raf asked, coming out of the kitchen with his cup of coffee.

“No,” Calvin muttered. Dropping his bag on the floor next to the couch. He looked down at Cade and raised an eyebrow. “I thought I told you to read the first three chapters of that book?”

“I know,” Cade replied enthusiastically, “but it’s so good and I didn’t want to stop.”

“Only Cade would find a history textbook interesting,” Raf chuckled, picking up one of his books on law. “Maybe I should have you study for me for my criminal justice test.”

“I looked at your books last night,” Cade replied. “I don’t like that they talk about all these laws and then what punishments you will receive if you break them.”

“Well that’s how the system is and if we didn’t have laws or punishment, it would be utter chaos,” Raf replied.

“Reading them still makes me feel like I’ve broken half the laws in there,” Cade sighed.

“Sometimes I feel that way too,” Raf smiled. “Don’t worry, the laws aren’t as terrifying as they seem.”

“Until you get caught,” Calvin laughed teasingly. “I’m going to change and then we’ll get started with your lessons, Cade. Let’s start with math first. I want to see how you did on those problems.” Cade smiled and nodded, going to collect his things.

He hurried into the kitchen and set his things on the table, organizing the mess of work in his hands. Calvin had asked him to work on writing papers and he hadn’t kept them in order, so now he was scrambling to separate them. 

“Typical unorganized student.” Calvin laughed; taking a seat and helping Cade organize his things. “I need to show you how to use a computer so you can type your papers.”

“I don’t like the calculator,” Cade replied, hoping that the statement would make Calvin understand that he didn’t want to use something else that required hitting buttons.

“Well, I would be more worried about that if the calculator in your head didn’t work as well as it does, but your handwriting it pretty bad and I would like to actually read what you write instead of spending hours deciphering it. Don’t worry; we’ll work on it later. For now, let’s see how you did with the math.”

Cade fished out the work from this morning and handed it to Calvin. He sat quietly, smiling confidently as Calvin made little green checks next to each answer. “Very good,” Calving smiled, handing back a completely correct piece of paper. “Let’s move on to something new.” They started on some harder problems in algebra and Calvin taught him how to put his answers in a graph and find other answers.

After an hour they moved on to English, where Cade told Calvin about the book he had just finished and outlined the paper he had written. To Cade’s surprise, Calvin asked him to write a story himself instead of read another book. The request threw Cade off and he wondered if he would be able to do it.

“Don’t worry, Cade. This exercise is to see how you do making up your own story and we’ll build on it until you’re writing your own books,” Calvin reassured.

“His own books,” Dennis scoffed, walking into the kitchen. “Do you honestly think a slave should be allowed to write books?”

“Of course I do,” Calvin replied calmly. “Cade is very smart.”

“Smart,” Dennis snorted. “No slave is smart, all they need to know is how to suck a cock and if they are smarter then that, then they need to be beat until they forget how to be smart.”

“I’m assuming that’s what’s wrong with you,” Calvin muttered under his breath and Cade hid a laugh behind his hand. “Well then, I guess it’s a good thing Eden is taking care of Cade and not you,” Calvin said loudly.

“Eden is a fool,” Dennis growled, pointing at Cade. “That little bitch will get too smart for his own good and he’ll attempt to use those smarts to get away. You just wait, I’ll be out back teaching him a good lesson soon if you keep teaching him that crap.”

“Why would I try to leave?” Cade asked, flinching when Dennis glared at him.

“Don’t pull that crap. I see right through it,” Dennis growled. “You pretend to be all sweet and caring to Eden, but the minute he slips, you’ll make a run for it.”

Cade only shook his head and looked back at Calvin, waiting for the man to continue on with their lesson. Calvin moved on to history, ignoring any remarks made by Dennis while he was in the kitchen. 

At the end of their lesson, Calvin grabbed his laptop and gave Cade a basic overview of the computer and what he could use on it. He let Cade play with the program he was going to use to type up his papers and began to read over Cade’s papers.

Annoyance welled inside Cade when he looked up to see that a half hour had passes and he had hardly written anything. The letters weren’t in order and he could only type with two fingers. Calvin assured that he would get better with practice, but Cade just wanted to give up and write by hand.

Cade happily pushed the computer away from him when Eden returned home and he jumped to his feet and ran to greet him. Lucas had arrived at the same time and the two men were talking about something that seemed to be upsetting Eden.

Cade stopped a few steps from the two and waited for Eden to strip off his soaked jacket before approaching. “Hi,” Eden smiled, leaning down and kissing Cade’s lips.

“Hi,” Cade smiled, glancing up at Eden’s unhappy face. “Is something wrong?”

“Your master is being stubborn about certain things,” Lucas replied, looking annoyed at Eden.

“Oh,” Cade whispered, wondering if they had been talking about what Cade had said that morning. 

“Come with me, Cade, I need to talk to you about something,” Eden sighed, taking his slave’s hand and walking to his room. Cade glanced back at Lucas, frowning when the man looked satisfied. Eden shut the door to his room when they were both inside and he looked at Cade.

“Eden,” Cade said quickly, hoping to explain to him that what he said to Lucas was wrong. “I-” Eden cut him off, grabbing his face and kissing him deeply.

“Undress, little one,” Eden whispered, pulling away from him. 

“Eden…” Cade paused when his master held up a hand.

“Just undress.” Cade sighed and pulled his shirt over his head. He undid his jeans and slid them off his hips, pushing his boxers down with them. He kicked them aside and saw Eden do the same. 

The two stood naked, facing each other. Eden was still just as toned as he was the day they had met and finally seeing his master without sneaking glances had Cade’s cock rising. Eden’s blue eyes watched as Cade fidgeted while his cock continued to rise.

“I think that’s enough of an answer for me,” Eden whispered.

“An answer for what?” Cade stammered when Eden crossed the room and stopped directly in front of him. Cade only came up to Eden’s shoulder, so he had to tilt his head back to look up at him. Eden smiled and leaned down, pressing their lips together.

“I believe you have been experiencing some cabin fever, haven’t you?” he asked instead of answering Cade’s question.

“That’s the one where you’re tired of being cooped up inside right?” Cade asked.

“Yes, that’s the one,” Eden chuckled, sliding his hands into Cade’s.

“Then yes, I have,” Cade sighed in relief.

“Well, I can’t blame you. I’ve been busy and it’s been a while since you’ve been out of the house. We can go out tomorrow morning, there have been a few things I’ve been meaning to get you and tomorrow night is Halloween, which I think you’ll really enjoy,” Eden smiled, wrapping his arms around Cade’s waist.

He pulled Cade close and kissed his shoulder. “But you’ll have to forgive me, I don’t really want to go out tonight.”

“It’s fine,” Cade whispered, his breath coming in short pants from being so close to his master. “Did you have something else planned for tonight?” 

“I didn’t, but Lucas gave me an idea for something to do.” Eden smiled against Cade’s shoulder and he lifted him onto the bed. 

Cade laid back, placing his head on a pillow. Eden joined him on the bed, pushing open Cade’s legs and sliding between them. Cade moaned when Eden laid his body over his, their cocks pressing together. 

Eden gently stroked Cade’s cheek, kissing him lovingly before moving down to his neck. Cade moaned and slid his hands over Eden’s back. Eden nipped at the skin on his neck and kissed down his shoulder. He teased each nipple until they peaked and moved lower, kissing across Cade’s stomach. 

Cade’s hips lifted off the bed when Eden’s tongue slid over his cock, pulling the head into his mouth. Cade moaned, fisting the sheets in his hands while Eden’s mouth worked his shaft. Eden moaned as he pulled back, sending small vibrations through Cade’s cock before pulling away completely.

“Will I ever get to do that to you?” Cade asked, when Eden reached for something on the small table next to his bed.

“Some day, but it takes a lot of practice and I know that you don’t want to try it now. You want me to do something else much more fun,” Eden replied. Cade moaned, and spread his legs wider. His heart was pounding in his chest from excitement. Eden was finally going to take him again and he couldn’t wait.

Eden coated two fingers with lube and hooked an arm around one of Cade’s legs, lifting it up until it hung over his shoulder. Cade whimpered when one of Eden’s fingers circled his entrance and slowly pushed in. 

Cade’s body accepted Eden’s fingers willingly and he opened up for his master. Once Eden was satisfied that Cade was prepared enough, he coated his cock and slid into him. Cade giggled when Eden pushed deep inside him, his happiness overflowing inside him.

“You are adorable,” Eden whispered, kissing Cade’s lips. He rolled his hips, causing Cade’s giggled to turn into a long moan. Eden pulled back and pushed back into Cade slowly, picking up speed when Cade’s moans grew louder. 

Eden covered Cade’s mouth with his own, muffling the loud cries that he was sure the others in the house could hear. Eden shifted his hips and hit the spot deep inside Cade that had him arching up into him. Fingers wrapped around his cock and Cade felt his body begin to tighten. He welcomed his orgasm and tightened around Eden’s cock, causing him to come.

Cade giggled again when his body calmed, still excited that his master finally had him again. “I never should have made you wait,” Eden groaned, burying his face in the crook of Cade’s neck.  
Does that mean you won’t make me wait again?” Cade asked hopefully.

“No,” Eden breathed. “I don’t think I could wait again.” Cade giggled and buried his fingers into Eden’s soft black hair. He closed his eyes, feeling Eden still deep inside him. He relaxed completely and matched his breathing with his master’s so that when Eden breather in, he breathed out. Neither moved, content to stay where we were until they were forced to move.


	8. Chapter 8

Cade breathed deeply, inhaling the warm scent of the man next to him. Eden smelled slightly of sweat and something else that was almost tangy to Cade’s senses. He pressed his nose against Eden’s shoulder and inhaled, pushing himself closer to the naked man.

“I probably smell like sex,” Eden murmured, placing his hand on the small of Cade’s back.

“You smell wonderful,” Cade whispered, kissing Eden’s shoulder and letting his tongue taste the man’s salty skin. Eden’s hand wrapped around Cade’s thigh and pulled his leg up, hooking it around his hip. He rolled onto his back, pulling Cade against his chest, his legs pressed against his hips. 

Cade laid his head on Eden’s shoulder and traced patterns along his arm. “We need to get up, Cade,” Eden whispered, his fingers gliding over Cade’s back. 

“Just a little longer,” Cade sighed, listening quietly to his master’s calm heartbeat. A little longer was apparently too long for Raf, who came barging into the room a few minutes later, his red hair a mess and a smile spread across his face.

“You told me eight and it’s eight thirty,” he said, setting his hands on his hips and attempting to sound frustrated, but failing.

“Cade wanted a little longer,” Eden replied with a hint of annoyance.

“You can have all you want tomorrow, little one,” Raf walked over to the bed and kissed Cade’s cheek. “Today, however, we have places to go and not a lot of time to do it.”

“Then can’t we go tomorrow?” Cade groaned when Raf attempted to pull him off his master.

“Going tomorrow would make going out pointless,” Raf replied, rolling Cade off Eden and lifting him in his arms. “Come, little one, you smell like sex and you need a shower. So do you, Eden.”

“I’m going,” Eden sighed, sitting up. Raf walked out of Eden’s room with Cade in his arms and into the bathroom. He set Cade on the floor, gave him a pat on the ass, before leaving the room. Eden joined him seconds later and they got themselves ready for the day. 

“See, a little sex didn’t kill anyone,” Lucas smiled when Cade walked into the kitchen. “In fact, I believe it made you two much happier.”

“It still shouldn’t have been this way,” Eden muttered, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Eden had strictly told Cade no coffee, so he sipped quietly on a cup of tea Raf had made him. He watched his master prepare his coffee and sit at the table before he spoke up. 

“I think I would have been angry if you had waited longer,” he said quietly. “You kept pushing me away and it made me angry. I just…” Cade trailed off. He knew he shouldn’t say such things to his master. It was Eden who decided what he wanted to do with Cade.

“You just what, little one?” Raf asked, taking a seat next to Cade. Cade shook his head, lifting his head when Eden hooked a finger under his chin.

“Tell me,” Eden soothed, his blue eyes watching Cade expectantly.

“I just want to be close to you and all I felt was you putting… space between us,” Cade finished.

“Distance, Cade,” Eden smiled. “I was putting distance between us.”

“Well, whether it was space or distance, I didn’t like it,” Cade said in annoyance.

“Alright, I understand,” Eden chuckled, gently kissing Cade’s lips. “These are things you need to tell me,” Eden continued when their lips parted.

“I have told you,” Cade whispered, hoping the others wouldn’t hear him. “But you still told me no and you said I wasn’t ready, but I was.”

“Eden is a man,” Raf pointed out. “We do stupid things and we must deal with the consequences.”

“Well he’s really good at doing stupid things,” Cade muttered.

“I deserved that,” Eden sighed. He watched Cade for a moment, a small smile pulling at his lips. “At least I can make it up to you.”

“How?” Cade asked curiously. Eden’s smile changed to the one he wore last night in bed and Cade’s stomach clenched. His breath stuttered when Eden leaned forward and pressed his lips to Cade’s ear. Cade’s blue eyes darted around the room as Eden explained to him all the things he would do to make it up to him. Several of them had Cade blushing by the time Eden was finished and he stared wide-eyed at the man when he pulled away.

“Can we do some of those things now?” Cade breathed.

“No you can not,” Raf chided. “We have things to do before tonight and they do not include a bed or the two of you naked.”

“He’s right, little one, I promised to take you shopping today and we need to do that,” Eden chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, there will be plenty of time to do all of what I told you later. Come on, let’s get our shoes on so we can go out and get back.” 

Cade nodded, getting to his feet and following his master to his bedroom. Once they were ready, Raf shuffled them out the door. “We’ll take my car, it’s bigger,” he called, pressing a button on his keys, causing the lights on his car to blink. 

Cade recognized Eden’s car at the end of the driveway and followed his master to the larger blue car next to it. Eden pulled open the back door of the car and motioned Cade into the car. He shut the door and opened the door in front of where Cade was sitting, climbing in. Raf sat in the seat next to Eden, fumbling with his keys.

Cade watched curiously as Raf slid the key into a slot and jumped when the car rumbled to life. He had only traveled a few times and a car was something he wasn’t yet used to. “Alright, where to first?” Raf asked, turning his head to wink at Cade.

“Let’s go to the mall first since it will be less crowded now then it will be in a few hours,” Eden replied. Raf nodded and the car began to slowly roll backwards. Cade kept his eyes fixed out the window as they traveled, his world rolling quickly by him. It had felt like it had been so long since he had last left the house and he couldn’t help but stare in awe at the world going on around him.

They drove past the school Eden attended and Cade couldn’t help but be surprised at the size of the school. “Do you have to walk this far for class?” Cade asked as they continued on.

“No,” Eden chuckled. I’m in one building for most of my classes. Occasionally I’ll have to walk somewhere else for another class, but they aren’t too far apart. The campus is so big because they offer a lot of different degrees and each field of study needs their own building to teach in.”

Cade nodded, his eyes never leaving the window. He watched as the campus fled from view, opening up to large empty fields. Raf turned down a road that took them in a large arch, merging onto another long road with several cars traveling on it. Unlike the other road, this one had several cars traveling in the same direction next to each other. 

Cade flinched when one of the cars came up quickly next to them and he slid backwards on the seat, flinching when the seatbelt stopped him from moving further. “It’s alright, Cade,” Eden said gently from the front seat. “They won’t hit us.”

“Why is this road different from the other road?” Cade asked, watching as several more cars passed them. 

“This is a highway,” Raf explained. “It was made so several people can travel, some at faster speeds then others, which lets them get to where they need to go faster.” Cade nodded, he would ask Calvin to explain it later. The flat land turned into large buildings and Raf turned off the highway, driving right through the brick area.

They stopped at a red light hanging over the road and Raf turned when it changed green. The area they drove through was a long, flat area with little white lines painted on the ground. A few cars sat quietly between the lines, overlooked by another large building. Raf pulled between two white lines and turned off the car. 

Cade undid his seatbelt and waited for Eden to pull open the door. “I want you to stay close to me, little one. There might not be a lot of people here today, but I don’t want you getting lost.”  
Cade nodded, smiling when Eden held out his hand. He happily laced their fingers together and Eden led him to the building. Music was playing when they entered and Cade was surprised to see several shops inside the building. Raf walked beside him, chatting with Eden about what stores they should go to.

The two agreed that shoes would be first and Cade followed them into one of the stores. Rows of shoes took up most of the space in the store and Cade wondered if Eden was going to make him try all of them on. 

“Sneakers first, then we’ll debate on dress shoes,” Eden said, the last word coming out sounding bitter.

“Dress shoes?” Cade whispered to Raf.

“They’re for when Eden brings you home to mommy and daddy,” Raf replied, his grey eyes twinkling with laughter. “They like to throw a lot of fancy parties and that means you have to look nice. Suit and tie, the works.”

“Oh,” Cade said, though he felt a little worried about the thought of meeting Eden’s family. He didn’t really understand why Eden would have to dress him up though, he was just a slave. His old master had told him that his new master would take him to parties, but he would be expected to perform for others like he performed for his master. At the time Cade didn’t understand what that meant, but now that he did, his stomach rolled at the thought of letting others do to him what Eden did to him last night.

Eden stopped at a long line of shoes that looked similar to what Cade was currently wearing and he felt a little bit of relief from seeing something he knew. “How do those shoes feel?” Eden asked, looking over the row of sneakers. Cade followed his master’s stare and reached out to touch the fabric. 

“They feel soft and a little bumpy on the bottom. The inside is nice though,” Cade replied, running his fingers over the laces. He heard Raf snort behind him and looked up to see Eden staring at him, a smile curling up the corners of his lips.

“I forget you take things so literal,” Eden chuckled after a moment. “I mean the shoes on your feet. How do they feel? Are they too big, too small, do they hurt when you walk?”

“Oh,” Cade replied, feeling his face heat. He took a moment to concentrate on his feet, trying to decide if there was anything he didn’t like about the shoes he was wearing. “My feet slide in them when I walk.”

“Alright, that means they’re too big,” Eden nodded. He picked out several boxes and instructed Cade to sit on a small bench beside them. Cade tried on each shoe without question, walking around in them to try them out and answering questions when Eden asked. “Do you have a preference to which one you like best?” Eden asked once Cade had tried on the last pair. 

Cade stared at him for a moment, trying to fight down the panic that rose inside him. Eden had expected him to make a decision for himself and he would do it. He rocked back and forth, trying to get a feel for the shoes he was currently wearing. They were much comfier then the ones he had originally been wearing, but they rubbed painfully against his heels when he walked.

Cade hesitated a moment longer before pointing to two boxes. He wasn’t sure which of the two he liked the best and he hoped Eden would make that decision for him. “OK, those two it is,” Eden replied as he began to put the other boxes back on the shelf.

“Wait,” Cade blurted. He slapped his hands over his mouth when Eden paused to look at him. “What do you mean those two?”

“You said you liked them… didn’t you?” Eden asked, glancing up at Raf, who shrugged.

“I do like them,” Cade replied. “But… why two?”

“Just in case you get one pair wet, you’ll have another pair to wear,” Raf replied without missing a beat. Eden slid him a frustrated glance and shook his head. He didn’t say anything else, just continued to put the boxes back on the shelf. 

Cade sat down and pulled off the shoes he was wearing, wondering if Raf’s explanation was the truth, or if he merely said that to keep Cade from insisting that he didn’t need so many shoes.   
With a box tucked under his arm, Cade followed Eden to the back of the store where there were several shoes Cade had seen Eden wear to work. He set the box he was holding on a bench and wandered a little ways away from his master, making sure that he could still see him. He stopped at the end of the row, looking straight ahead at a pair of shoes that looked more like a weapon then something you put on your feet. 

Crossing the isle, Cade reached up and traced the long thin piece on the back of the shoe. There were several more that were taller, all in odd colors and shapes. At one of the benches at the end of the isle several women were chatting, all commenting on the dangerous looking shoes as one of the women slipped them onto her feet.

She stood up, immediately looking much taller then Cade had expected her to be. When she moved, Cade winced, wondering how she could even walk in shoes that made her stand practically on her toes. He continued to watch as she strode over to a full-length mirror and turned sideways. 

He cocked his head when he heard one of the women comment that her ass looked great in those heels. Cade chanced a glance at the woman’s behind. It stuck out behind her and Cade wondered if she ever knocked things over when she turned. One of the other women made a comment and they all began to laugh as the woman made her way back to the bench.  
“Checking out the ladies?” Cade jumped when Raf spoke and he turned his head to look at the man.

He pointed to the shoes the woman was pulling off her feet. “What are those and why are they talking about her butt when she wears them?” Cade asked. 

“They are called high heels and they are made to make women’s butts look big. Some men are attracted to that,” Raf explained, taking Cade’s hand and leading him back to Eden.

“They look like they hurt,” Cade commented.

“Well, if every woman reacts to them the way my mother does, I would say they definitely hurt,” Raf chuckled.

“Do men wear them?” Cade asked, stopping in front of Eden. Eden gave them both a curious look, raising one eyebrow at Raf.

“No, Cade, men don’t wear high heels,” Raf shook his head. “Though, I can’t tell you our shoes are any better.”

“So everyone has to hurt like that?” Cade didn’t like the idea of dress shoes anymore.

“Don’t worry, Cade,” Eden sighed. “When we find a pair that suits you, I’ll have them fixed so they don’t hurt when you wear them.” Cade sighed and took a seat on the bench, accepting the box Eden handed him. Raf was right; the shoes were tight and stiff when Cade tried to walk in them. 

Eden explained that it was because the leather hadn’t been broken in yet and Cade would just have to wear them around the house a few times to loosen them up. Once the shoes were bought and paid for, they jumped around between several stores. Cade tried on more clothes then he had ever seen in his life. He kept himself from protesting, knowing that Eden would tell him it was nothing and that he needed the clothes anyway. 

“One more store,” Eden promised, turning to enter another clothing store. Cade glanced around at the frozen people standing around with clothes on. These clothes were different and Cade was reminded of the clothes Calvin wore when he was going to teach at the elementary school. Eden stopped at a shelf full of tan pants, while Raf began searching through a round rack of shirts.  
Cade stood quietly, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He was sure they had spent hours out and he had put on and taken off more clothes then he ever wanted to again. He swallowed a groan when Eden pulled several of what looked like the same pants off the shelf and Raf piled shirts onto his arms. Cade sighed when Eden motioned for him to follow him to the closest dressing room.

“Do I have to try all of them on?” Cade asked, pulling off his shirt and toeing off his shoes.

“We’ll see,” Eden replied, unfolding the first pair of pants. After four pairs of the exact same pants and the exact same shirt, but in different colors, Cade was starting to feel frustrated. 

Eden handed him another pair of pants while he fought with Raf about a shirt that looked just like the rest of them. “Do I really have to keep doing this?” Cade demanded, his tone of voice surprising him. He sounded extremely grumpy and it caused both Eden and Raf to stop talking and look at him in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Eden asked in confusion. 

“They all look the same,” Cade snapped. “I’ve tried on the same pants over and over and all the shirts are the same except for the color. Can’t I try one on and if you like it you can buy them in different colors?”

“I think four hours is the length of Cade’s patience,” Raf chuckled. “At least we know that he can get snippy if you push him far enough.”

Eden looked at Cade quietly and Cade felt himself deflate a little. He had just yelled at his master, in a store… where people could hear him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“What did I tell you about being sorry?” Eden asked.

“But people can hear me,” Cade shivered, wondering if there were people standing outside, listening and waiting for Eden to reprimand his slave.

“So?” Raf snorted. “People aren’t going to care that you’re pissed because we’ve been torturing you all morning with clothes. I would have quit after an hour, especially with the crap Eden has been putting you in.”

“Hey,” Eden growled, “It’s not crap.” He turned back to Cade and smiled at him softly. “Some days I feel like all I do is frustrate you.”

“Not all the time,” Cade replied, returning the smile. “But I’ve lost count of how many stores we’ve been in and I’m tired of trying on the same clothes over and over. Actually… I’m kind of tired of trying on clothes altogether.”

“Then I guess we’ll take you to the tailor another day,” Eden stood up and began folding the pants that were strewn across the small bench in the dressing room. 

“Tailor?” Cade cocked his head to look up at his master.

“So he can take measurements for your suits,” Raf explained. “Don’t worry, you won’t need to wear one for at least another month.”

What’s in a month?” Cade asked curiously.

“Thanksgiving,” Raf waved a hand. Eden grunted, collecting the last of the clothes and opening the door to the dressing room. He put a few of the pants back and instructed Raf to find a couple more shirts. Eden sent Raf and Cade out into the mall while he made his purchase, looking frustrated himself.

“Is there something about Thanksgiving that makes Eden mad?” Cade asked Raf when they sat down at a bench.

“It’s usually the time of year that his parents bring women to the house for dinner and try to set him up with one. They know he prefers men, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be thinking about marrying.”

“Does he have to get married?”

“No,” Raf shook his head, “but it doesn’t stop our parents, or other people from telling us that we should. In this society there is an expectation for men to marry women and start families. Granted it’s normal to see two men or two women together, people are still set in their ways that a man should marry a woman. Unfortunately, neither Eden or I and probably even Lucas are interested in settling down with a woman.”

“Why not?”

“Well…” Raf paused and thought about it for a moment. “Eden and I have dated women before, but we prefer men and Lucas is just too rough for a woman.” Cade nodded, Lucas was definitely rough and straightforward for that matter. Cade had spent enough time with the woman at the farm to know that you will get smacked if you say something they didn’t like.

Eden emerged from the store and they hefted their many bags off the floor and made their way out of the mall. Cade dozed on the drive home, waking when they pulled into the driveway. He helped Eden carry their bags into Eden’s bedroom; putting them in the drawers Eden let Cade use. Once everything was away, they ate a quick lunch and settled on the couch where Cade napped comfortably in Eden’s lap while he and Raf talked about school.

“I assume your shopping spree was successful,” Lucas commented, settling into the couch next to Eden.

“We made Cade snap at us,” Raf told him gleefully. “It was exciting to see him grumpy.”

“You’ve seen him grumpy before,” Lucas pointed out.

“Yeah, but not at Eden,” Raf replied. Cade cracked open an eye, watching Raf smile happily at his master.

“Did you get everything you needed?” Lucas asked, smiling softly at Cade.

“No, he still needs a suit,” Eden replied, sliding his fingers through Cade’s hair. “Did Dennis leave?” 

“A few hours ago, said he’d be back Monday morning,” Lucas replied. “I got to hear his long list of complaints about Cade and get a lecture about how a master should treat a slave. I swear he’s gotten grumpier.”

“He needs to get laid,” Raf muttered, glancing at the clock. “Are the guys setting up out back?”

“They were out back this morning,” Lucas, turned his head to glance into the kitchen. “I know they put up the tables and stuff. Eden and I should probably get going soon.”

“You’re taking the kids too?” Raf glanced between Eden and Lucas in surprise. 

“I forced him,” Eden admitted, gliding his fingers down Cade’s back. “They were short on people and I have some dirt on Lucas he may or may not want people to know.”

“Black mailing your best friend into doing something. I approve,” Raf laughed. “Alright, you two get going and I’ll make sure Cade isn’t in a sugar coma when you get back.”

Cade looked up when Eden tapped his cheek gently. “I know Raf will let this slip, but I only want you eating a few pieces of candy and don’t let Raf convince you otherwise.”

“I’ll be good,” Cade promised.

“That’s code for I better get sex if I do what you ask,” Raf nodded, looking slyly at Eden.

“It is not,” Cade said quickly, his cheeks darkening when he looked up at Eden. The other men laughed and Eden kissed him softly.

“If I remember correctly, I have a lot of things to make up for and I believe I told you this morning how I was going to do that.” Eden smiled when Cade’s eyes grew wider. We’ll talk about those later.”

Cade stared at Eden for a moment longer before sliding off his lap and letting him up. Eden gave him a quick kiss, threatening Raf with death if he didn't take care of Cade. Raf rolled his eyes and waved Eden off.

“I’ll see you in a few hours,” Eden gave Cade one last kiss before heading for the door. Cade watched him go, emotions building up inside him that he didn't understand.

“Wow,” Raf said right next to him, causing Cade to jump. He looked up at the other man curiously. “I’ve never seen you look at Eden like that.”

“Like what?” Cade asked, sounding slightly defensive. A small smile spread across Raf’s face and he shook his head.

“Come on, the kids will be here in a bit and I have to dig out the candy.” The smile on Raf’s face made Cade’s stomach flutter and he felt like his body understood what Raf was saying but his mind didn’t. It bothered him that he couldn't name the emotions he was feeling for his master. It was the first time he was feeling them and he didn’t know how to ask about them. Maybe Calvin had a book that explained them. 

Cade decided to let the emotions blooming inside him go and headed into the kitchen to help Raf.


	9. Chapter 9

Cade’s head popped up when the doorbell rang and he glanced at Raf when he stood. It was the first group to arrive at the door and Cade suddenly felt nervous. These were children coming to the door and looking for treats, would they want a slave to give candy to them? Would they even know that he was a slave? That got Cade wondering what people thought when they saw him, setting off a wave of panic that settled heavily in his stomach.

“You coming?” Raf asked, his grey eyes watching Cade with a hint of curiosity. “What’s got you looking so panicked?”

“Nothing,” Cade replied, his voice slightly higher then he expected. He cleared his throat, setting the book he had been reading on the table. Raf gave him a small smile when he stood up and headed for the door.

Children of all different ages and sizes stood in an array of costumes, holding out bags and greeting them with a lout ‘trick or treat.’ Raf greeted the group warmly, waving to the two woman leading the group and began tossing candy into each bag. Cade stood quietly next to him, looking at all the different costumes. 

Some looked like they were hand sewn and others Cade assumed had been bought at a store like his clothes had. None of the kids seemed to notice him standing there as they crowded around Raf, thanking him when he dropped a piece of candy into their bag. The children waved as they moved away from the door, heading excitedly to the next house. 

“I’m going to leave the door open, they’ll be coming in waves now,” Raf told him when he turned around. He cocked his head as he stared down at Cade. “Want to tell me what’s going on in your head, little one.”

“Just thinking,” Cade replied.

“You say that a lot when you’re thinking about stuff that makes you worry. Talk to me, Cade,” Raf encouraged gently. 

“They’re just slave problems, nothing to bother you or anyone else about,” Cade shrugged, glancing out the door. He watched as another group of kids headed towards the front door and Raf took over handing out candy again while Cade watched.

“If there is something that concerns you it’s best to say something,” Raf commented when the kids were gone again. “I’ve never heard of a slave problem but I would assume they’re out there. Does it have something to do with Eden?”

“No,” Cade shook his head. “More like everyone else.”

“Everyone else?” Raf asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I just…” Cade paused, rubbing his arm uncomfortably. “I wonder what people think when they see me.”

“What do you think they see?”

“A slave,” Cade answered immediately. “I mean, I know it’s not written across my forehead, but I wonder if people can tell if I’m a slave or if I look like a regular person to them.”

“Considering owning slaves is mostly for the wealthy, I don’t think it’s something people think about. Yes, there are some people who make it blatantly obvious that they own slaves, but for the most part, you look just like the rest of us. If I hadn’t known that you were Eden’s birthday present, I probably would have assumed you were a relative coming to visit, or even a one night stand that tumbled over into the next day.”

“One night stand?” Cade asked, cocking his head.

“It’s someone you have sex with for one night and then never see them again,” Raf explained. “What I’m trying to say is, you don’t look like a slave and people aren’t looking at you and immediately thinking that you are one. I’m pretty sure most people would be surprised if Eden went around announcing that he owned you.”

Cade tried not to flinch at the word ‘owned.’ It hurt to hear it. It meant that no matter how nice his master was, Cade was no more important than the car Eden drove. 

“See, slave problems that you didn’t need to be bothered with,” Cade replied, trying to shake off the feeling that he was nothing more then a pet to Eden. 

“Why don’t you hand out candy to the next group,” Raf suggested, watching another group of kids come trotting up to the door.

Cade watched the man for a moment and stepped up to the screen door, pushing it open. The kids hurried up to him with wide smiles, which he returned. He handed out candy to each child, giggling when they hurried off to the next house.

Raf watched him with a small smile on his face and he reached out to slide his fingers through Cade’s brown hair. “You have a small problem with anxiety, do you know that?”

“I don’t know what anxiety is, how am I suppose to know if I have a problem with it?” Cade replied, wondering if this anxiety was a bad thing and that’s why Raf was bringing it up. 

“It means that when you are in a situation you’re not used to, which is everything you’ve done since you’ve been with Eden, you get nervous. It’s normal to an extent when you’re doing something new, but you get very nervous and you’re breathing becomes slightly labored and I know you’ve already panicked to the point of passing out, which means you let small things get to you in a very big way.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Cade asked, feeling slightly worried. 

“That depends,” Raf motioned to the next group of kids heading to the door, stepping away so Cade could pass out the candy. He picked up again when they left. “Are things still going to make you nervous after you’ve gotten use to your new life, or are you still going to panic about what people think when they look at you? And why are you worried about that? Are you ashamed that you’re a slave?”

“Should I not be?” Cade countered. “Eden owns me, he has the power to do whatever he wants with me and I have to obey. I know he’s always telling me that he wants me to live my own life, but I will never have my own life. I can’t wake up one morning and decide I don’t want to live here anymore. I can’t leave when I want to; I’m not even allowed to go outside. There has to be some part of Eden that thinks if he gives me enough freedom I’ll run away.

“That also means that I have to worry about keeping Eden happy, even if I’m miserable. I’m not stupid, Raf, I know that if Eden ever got bored of me I would get shipped off to the first sale he could find.”

“Are you miserable, Cade?” Raf asked cautiously.

“No,” Cade huffed. “I’m not miserable I’m just… stuck.”

“And that bothers you, that you’re stuck?”

“It does and it doesn’t. It’s not like I haven’t been a slave all my life, it’s just… we’ve all been told about f-” Cade cut himself off. He was stepping into dangerous territory. Freedom was a topic even the nicest of masters would punish you for talking about it.

He turned his back on Raf and paid attention to the large group of children at the door. He didn’t know why he kept letting his mouth get away with saying whatever it wanted, he knew better. He was going to have to watch himself now that Raf knew what he was thinking about. It could turn on him quickly. 

“Hey.” Cade looked up, startling slightly when he found Eden standing in front of him. Eden gave him a light chuckle, leaning down to gently kiss him. There was a chorus of ‘awes’ and a few ‘ews’ from the children behind Eden. “Are you enjoying your first Halloween?” he asked. 

Cade gave his master a small smile and nodded, turning to the kids as he grabbed a handful of candy. The children crowded around him, a little girl in a sparkling dress practically stepping into the house with him.

“Are you Eden’s boyfriend?” she asked him when he dropped a piece of candy in her bag.

“Um, I’m not sure,” Cade replied uncomfortably.

“I bet you are, boys don’t kiss people they aren’t dating,” the little girl said, flashing Cade a bright smile. She turned her head to look at Eden, “he’s really cute.”

“He is,” Eden laughed. “Come on, I don’t want you to embarrass him.”

“Then you shouldn’t have kissed him,” the girl replied matter of factly. Eden shook his head and shuffled the group away. He stole one more kiss before he trailed after them.

Cade stiffened when a hand slid over his back and he looked up into Raf’s concerned grey eyes. “I always forget sometimes,” Raf said in a quiet tone, “that no matter how well we treat you, you will always want to be free. I understand though, that feeling of being restrained when everyone around you can do whatever they please.” A pained look crossed Raf’s face and Cade wondered if he knew what it was like to feel chained to a man that had the power to control your life. 

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Cade mumbled. “I know the punishment for thinking that way.”

“No one will punish you, Cade. You have the right to dream about whatever you want, including control of your own life. Eden cares deeply for you, but we both know that if he suddenly changed, there would be no way for you to escape it.”

Cade turned around and looked up at Raf, smiling softly. “I’ve been trained to take whatever my master gives me. If he were to change, I would accept that and try to live through it.”

“If Eden changes I’ll kick his ass, you don’t deserve to be treated like livestock. You’re a human too, being owned doesn’t change the fact that you deserve to be treated equally.” Raf leaned down and kissed the top of Cade’s head. “I want you to understand that if Eden does something you don’t like, you need to tell him, and if you’re afraid to tell him then you come tell me and I’ll talk to him.”

“I will,” Cade nodded.

“Good,” Raf smiled. “Maybe one day you and I will sit down and have that forbidden conversation about being free. You’re turning into a smart man, I think it’ll be an enlightening talk.”

“Or it’ll condemn me,” Cade said flatly.

“I’ll make sure no one knows,” Raf chuckled, turning Cade around and pushing him towards the door where a group of children waited anxiously. 

Cade wanted to tell Raf that the conversation was pointless to have. He would never be free and it wasn’t like he was hopping for it to happen. He enjoyed being with Eden and he was thankful that his master allowed him to think for himself, but there would always be that chain linking him to the man. 

Shutting the screen door, Cade wandered back to the couch. Raf had followed behind him, reaching out to touch Cade’s arm when someone began banging on the sliding doors in the kitchen. Raf gave an annoyed sigh and went to answer it. Cade dropped the hand that had been reaching for his book and went to the front door again.

He had just finished with another group of children when several pairs of feet came into the living room. Cade glanced over his shoulder, recognizing the two men that had purchased him for Eden. 

“Told you he’d like him,” the blond said, elbowing the other man in the ribs. 

“I told you Eden would like him,” the other man said, pushing the blond away. The way he spoke was odd. It wasn’t a different language, it just sounded different to Cade. His skin was surprisingly dark, almost like he spent too much time in the sun and tanned darker then normal. 

“Cade, this is Vincent and Jacob. I’m sure you recognize them as the two men who purchased you for Eden,” Raf smiled at the two men.

“It’s nice to see you again,” Cade said softly. 

“Eden does like him, yes?” Vincent asked, ignoring Cade.

“Cade,” Raf said, glancing down at him. “Do you think Eden likes you?”

“I hope he does,” Cade replied, looking at the two men who were staring at Raf. Neither of them seemed to have heard Cade speak.

“I'd say Eden likes him very much,” Raf replied, sliding a hand over Cade’s back. 

“Good,” Jacob smiled, looking around. “You coming to the party tonight?” 

“Haven't decided,” Raf replied, leaning down to whisper in Cade’s ear. “They’re going to keep ignoring you. Why don’t you take your book and a chair and go sit by the door till the next group of kids come.”

Cade looked up into Raf’s grey eyes and nodded. He moved towards the couch and grabbed his book. His movements were stiff and Cade knew the other men were watching him move around.   
“Is he reading that book?” Jacob asked, pointing almost accusingly at Cade. 

“Yes, why?” Raf asked. Cade could see a small smile tugging at Raf’s lips and he could have sworn he looked amused. 

“Why is Eden letting him read?” Vincent asked curiously, sliding around Raf and taking the book out of Cade’s hand.

“Calvin asked Eden if he could teach Cade to read. Eden told Calvin to ask Cade and Cade said that he would like to learn to read,” Raf replied, ignoring the odd looks the other two men gave him.  
“We didn’t give him to Eden so he could learn to read. Slaves don’t need to read,” Vincent scoffed. 

“Then what was the reason you gave him to Eden?” Raf asked. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Vincent and Jacob the same way Calvin looked at Cade when he threw a fit over something he didn’t understand. 

“To fuck him,” Vincent replied as if it was the most obvious thing and Raf was being intentionally dense. “Slaves don’t need to read, slaves need to do what they’re told.”

“Not everyone thinks like that,” Raf stated. He glanced behind him, giving Cade a small smile before motioning to the door. Cade turned to see a group of children approaching the house. He continued to listen to the conversation while he handed out candy. 

“Obviously not,” Jacob snorted, shaking his head. “It’s bloody stupid to let him think that he can do whatever he wants. He’s going to become a problem.”

“Cade is allowed to live his own life and make his own decisions. I don't remember you telling Eden what he couldn’t do with him when you gave him Cade.”

“Well who the hell gets a slave for their birthday and decides that they are going to teach them to read?” Vincent protested.

“Cade?” Cade waved goodbye to a small girl and turned to look at Raf. “Did Eden tell you when you first met him that he wanted you to learn to read?”

“No,” Cade replied, whishing that they would stop talking about this. “Eden never told me anything, he always asks me if I want to do something.” It wasn’t exactly true considering Eden told him what to eat, drink and where he couldn’t go. But that wasn’t the question Raf had asked. 

“He calls Eden by his name?” Jacob looked disgusted and outraged.

“Who calls me by my name?” Eden asked, coming in from the kitchen. His blue eyes searched out Cade’s first and he gave his slave a small smile. The smile was interrupted when Vincent and Jacob crowded him, pushing him back into the kitchen. Cade gave the two a frustrated look and turned back to the door when there were several knocks on the glass.

Raf was sitting on the couch when Cade turned back around; watching him with a look Cade had never seen a person give him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Raf cocked his head, his smile growing. “I was just thinking about what Eden is going to say about you when they ask. Then I stated thinking about you and how you’ve grown in the month you’ve been with us. We’re all very fond of you.”

“I can name one person who isn’t fond of me,” Cade muttered, turning around to hand out more candy. The woman with the group told Cade that they were the last group. He thanked the woman and closed the front door, turning back to Raf. Raf held out a hand motioning Cade to come to him.

Cade approached him and crawled into the man’s lap. “Just ignore them,” Raf whispered, stroking Cade’s hair. “They’re just idiots.”

“Most people think like they do,” Cade shrugged, wiggling in Raf’s arms when the front door opened. Lucas looked at the two, raising an eyebrow.

“Vincent and Jacob dropped by to see how Eden liked their gift,” Raf explained.

“I take it they didn’t like what Eden was doing with him,” Lucas rolled his eyes and joined them on the couch. He reached out and slid his fingers over Cade’s cheek, smiling softly. “They can’t take you away from him. Eden’s name is on your papers.”

“Well that wasn’t something that crossed my mind till now. Thank you for adding and quelling another fear.”

“Quelling, that’s a word I’ve never heard you use,” Lucas chuckled.

“I’ve ben reading the dictionary again,” Cade confessed. Both Lucas and Raf laughed.

“Smart young man,” Lucas whispered. He stood up, leaning over Raf and Cade. Cade shrank back, flinching slightly when Lucas cupped his face in his hand. He gasped slightly when Lucas’s lips pressed against his forehead. “You’re going to do amazing things one day.”

Cade’s eyes widened, wondering if Lucas had just complimented him. “I don’t know how much I’ll be able to do as a slave.”

“A lot, considering Eden wants you to experience everything you possibly can,” Lucas sat back down. His green eyes shifted to Raf. “Are you going to the party?”

“Maybe for a little bit, since it’s in our backyard,” Raf replied, sliding his fingers through Cade’s hair. “I’m trying to decide if we can convince Eden to let Cade tag along with him.”

“You and I both know that’s not happening,” Lucas huffed, “and we’re not sneaking him out there either.”

“Damn,” Raf muttered. There was a small commotion in the kitchen and Eden stormed into the living room. “Here it comes,” Raf said in a singsong voice.

“They think they can tell me what to do Cade because they gave him to me,” Eden huffed, pacing in front of the television. “I’m being penalized because I want him to learn and be happy and do whatever else it is he wants and they don’t think that’s right. Well who the hell gave them the right to tell me what to do?”

“Obviously people with morals that are different then yours,” Lucas suggested. Eden ignored him and continued ranting.

“He’s a slave, that’s what they told me, that he’s a slave and I should treat him like a slave.”

“Technically he is a slave. No offense, Cade,” Lucas glanced at him.

“It is true,” Cade replied, watching his master wear down the floorboards. 

“Did everyone forget that he’s fucking human?” Cade tilted his head, his master must have been really mad if he was cursing. “That he deserves the right to an education, a right to do as he pleases, a right to live?”

“Which means he has a right to be miserable, to shave his head, learn to play the banjo, all those things normal people do?” Raf questioned. Cade hid his laughter behind his hand and watched as Eden ignored all of them.

“I want him to live life to the fullest, to spend it happily.”

“With you?” Lucas asked. That caused Eden to halt and turn to look at each of them, his eyes landing on Cade.

“Of course with me,” he replied, sounding slightly hurt. He cocked his head, his blue eyes watching Cade with uncertainty. “Why are you asking that? Cade, is there something you need to tell me.”  
“No, Eden,” Cade replied quickly. “You just made it sound like you weren’t apart of my future.”

“Alright,” Eden nodded, striding up to the couch. He took Cade’s hand and pulled him out of Raf’s lap. “Are you two going to the party?”

“For a little while. Are you coming?” Lucas asked, standing up. 

“I think Cade and I are going to turn in for the night,” Eden replied, his eyes never leaving Cade’s.

“If you want to go, you should,” Cade said, sliding his fingers over the back of Eden’s hand. “I can stay in the house alone for a little while. I’ve got a lot of reading to get done.”

“I’d rather spend the rest of my evening with you,” Eden replied. The comment sent shivers up Cade’s spine and his pulse quickened. 

“I’d like that,” he whispered.

“Well enjoy yourselves then,” Lucas patted Cade’s shoulder, stepping around the couch. “Come on, Raf, don’t want to keep them from bed any longer.”

“Yes, have fun,” Raf waved and followed Lucas out of the living room. 

 

Eden tugged on Cade’s hand, getting him to more forward. “Come, little one, let’s go to bed.”

“Yes, lets,” Cade smiled softly, sliding up against Eden as they walked towards the bedroom.


	10. Chapter 10

“Why are you still so upset over what Vincent and Jacob said to you weeks ago?” Cade whispered, running the tips of his fingers over Eden’s back.

“I’m upset because they won’t stop brining it up,” Eden explained, rolling over and taking Cade’s hand. He gently kissed his palm, sliding his other hand over Cade’s cheek. “Whenever they see me, they ask me about you, demand that I stop letting you learn. They tell me that I need to start treating you like a slave.”

“We both know that not everyone thinks like you do. There will always be people who don’t agree with what you let me do. Wouldn’t it be better if you just forgot about it?” Cade leaned forward, cautiously kissing his master’s chest. He was still hesitant when he touched Eden, worried that he might do something wrong. 

Eden’s fingers slid through Cade’s hair, his other hand cupping Cade’s chin. Cade let Eden pull him up and kissed him deeply. “I know I should forget about it. It just upsets me that people can be so cruel.”

Cade smiled softly, leaning down to kiss Eden again. “I appreciate that you care so much about me, but I don’t want you to worry any more. They can’t take me from you, you and Lucas assured me of that.”

“I know we have,” Eden whispered, rolling over and pushing Cade onto his back. He nuzzled Cade’s chin, leaving a trail of kisses down his neck. “I just want everyone to see you as I see you. A smart young man who has a strong future ahead of him.”

“What do you think I’m going to become?” Cade huffed a laugh as Eden kissed over his shoulder.

“I don’t know, that’s up to you,” Eden whispered, sliding his hands over Cade’s sides. “Whatever it is, I will support you.”

Cade smiled softly, sliding his fingers through Eden’s dark hair. He knew when he got too smart Eden would put a stop to his education and tighten the hold on the invisible chains around Cade’s wrists. For now, he would accept whatever he could get and make Eden happy.

“I don’t want to leave this bed,” Eden groaned. “I don’t want to go to class and I don’t want to go to work.”

Cade giggled, running his hand down Eden’s arm. Eden’s hand came up and he laced their fingers together. “And what are you going to do in bed all day?” Cade’s words tapered off into a gasp when Eden’s warm lips encircled his nipple. 

“I’ve been doing something wrong if you have to ask that question,” Eden chuckled, kissing across his chest. 

“We only got a few hours of sleep, I don’t think I’ve rested enough for that,” Cade giggled, feeling his cock twitch. Eden muttered his response against Cade’s ribcage, his teeth dragging across the skin. Cade groaned, letting his legs fall open when Eden’s stomach brushed against his cock.

“I’m sure I can give you a good reason to think you’ve gotten enough sleep,” Eden breathed, nudging the base of Cade’s cock with his nose. Cade opened his mouth to agree when someone banged on the door.

“Eden,” came Lucas’s sharp voice. “Stop molesting Cade and let’s go, we’re going to be late.”

“Lucas has class with you?” Cade asked, pushing up onto his elbows when Eden pressed his face against Cade’s hip.

“No, but I agreed to take him this morning so both of us didn’t have to drive. He’s got a full day of class so Dennis will bring him home this evening. Raf’s classes were canceled so he’ll be home all day. You know Calvin will be here in the morning, he told me last night that he had a lot to teach you today.”

“He does,” Cade replied, looking uncomfortably down at his hands.

“What’s wrong, little one?” Eden whispered, tapping Cade’s chin. 

“There is something in the history book Calvin gave me,” Cade replied, his eyes looking weary when they met Eden’s. 

“Something that makes you uncomfortable?” Eden pressed.

“There was a man in that book, it says he freed the slaves. I don’t… how is that true if I’m a slave?” Cade asked, leaning away from Eden. He didn’t know how his master would react and he was afraid of getting hit. 

“I didn’t realize you were already on American history,” Eden cocked his head. “Weren’t you two talking about Ancient Egyptian civilization last week?”

“We had a lot of time to talk about it over the weekend,” Cade shrugged. “Actually, I’m learning about the Roman Empire now, but I started asking Calvin about this country and he gave me another book.”

Eden laughed softly, sliding his hand over Cade’s cheek. “You are so smart, Cade. I’m glad it didn’t go to waste.” He paused for a moment, glancing at the clock. “You are right, Cade, Abraham Lincoln did free the slaves and for a time everyone in this country was free. But in the 1920’s, rich businessmen and diplomats from other countries would come to visit and they would bring their ‘pets’ with them. People were so wrapped up over these men and women who owned other humans that the wealthy in this country demanded the right to own humans as pets. 

“After a lot of debate and protesting and talk of civil rights, a new law was passed. It allowed the wealthy to purchase human slaves to be used as pets. After a while, people realized that it was cheaper to use slaves to work on farms and another law was passed. It has helped, the price of food has decreased and so has the price of clothing and other materials made in factories. There were several regulations put in place, to ensure the safe treatment of slaves so they weren’t being used like animals.”  
“So Lincoln ended slavery and the wealthy brought it back?” Cade asked, watching his master’s smile grow.

“Actually, people still believe that there is no slavery in this country. The right to purchase humans as pets falls under a different law that is worded so well that you can’t say outright that you are considered a slave. We call you slaves because that is what you are, even if the government doesn’t admit it outright.”

“I don’t understand,” Cade replied, jumping when Lucas banged on the door again.

“I don’t understand it either, you’ll have to ask Raf about it if you really want to know. He’s taking a class on laws of owning humans.” Eden huffed when Lucas threatened him through the door. “I guess I better get in the shower before he breaks down the door.”

“Go,” Cade gave Eden’s arm a push. “I’m going back to sleep.”

“No you’re not,” Eden growled playfully, lifting Cade off the bed. “I can at least shower with you before I have to leave.” Cade rolled his eyes and let Eden carry him into the bathroom.

An hour later, with several kisses from Eden and threats from Lucas, Eden left for class, leaving Cade on the couch with his American history book in his lap. He reread the section on Lincoln and his part in ending slavery, still confused about what passed for slavery now and back then.

“You’re looking too deep into whatever it is you’re reading,” Calvin’s voice forced Cade to look up. He smiled at him, adjusting the glasses on his face. He held a thick book in his hand and he watched Cade quietly. “Eden told me you were having a hard time understanding the old and new concepts of slavery.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Cade replied.

“Which is why I brought you another book,” Calvin smiled, handing over the book he was holding. It was titled Slavery of The Past and Present. “Eden told me not to skirt around the details with you. If you want to understand why you’re a slave, then I will tell you.”

Cade nodded, reading over the title. “Eden told me to ask Raf about the laws.”

“Did he?” Raf asked, stepping into the living room in nothing but a towel. “They are the most confusing laws you’ll ever try to decipher, but I’ll do my best to explain them if you want.”

“I’m not sure if I want to know,” Cade replied, feeling uneasy. “It’s hard… trying to understand how slavery can still exist when people believe it doesn’t.”

“You’d be surprised how naive people are when it comes to the truth,” Calvin replied.

“Naive?” Cade asked curiously.

“It means that we don’t have enough knowledge to understand something. It also means that we are very good at looking the other way when someone tries to educate us on the subject,” Raf explained. 

“I don’t want you to think that I’m naïve, but I’m still not sure if I’m ready to understand…”

“The last thing we would think you were was naïve,” Raf said softly. “When you are ready, come find me and I’ll explain whatever you want to know.”

“For now, I’m going to make breakfast and then we’ll get started with math,” Calvin said, heading for the kitchen. Raf returned to his room and Cade was left alone to contemplate the book he was given. 

He ran his fingers over the cover, studying the picture. Half of the cover had an old picture of a man with black skin tied to a post, his chest was bare and his face looked pained. A man with white skin stood behind the other man and he was holding up a whip, ready to strike. The other half of the cover had a picture Cade was more familiar with.

A man sat in a chair, his legs crossed and he was holding a leather leash. Sitting next to him on the floor was a slave, naked except for the collar around his neck. Cade had seen masters and slaves like this on the farm; it was something he was grateful Eden didn't make him do.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Cade opened the cover. Just like every book, the title was on the next page. Cade glanced around the living room, his heart beginning to beat faster. He felt like he was doing something dishonest, even though he had been given permission to read the book.

He flipped to the next page, ignoring the footsteps moving down the hall. He assumed it was Raf or Calvin coming to tell them that breakfast was ready. He wanted to reach the first chapter by then, he wanted to give himself a reason to read the words on that page.

The book was suddenly torn from his hands and he looked up into dark, angry eyes. Cade shrank back at the look Dennis gave him, his brown eyes widening when the man closed the book. Angry black eyes looked at Cade and Dennis growled like a wild animal.

“Who gave you this book?” he hissed.

“C-Calvin,” Cade stuttered, pulling his legs up to his chest. He knew that no matter how much Eden warned Dennis not to touch him, the man would do it anyway.  
“You do not have permission to read this,” Dennis held up the book and Cade flinched.

“Eden gave me permission, he sa-” Cade saw the book come down, but he didn’t have enough time to move before it hit him. The feel of the hard cover slamming against his face made pain explode in his cheek. He heard a terrible crunching noise as the edge of the book caught his nose. 

Cade tried to take a breath as he was flung sideways. He hit the floor, his chin slamming into the table. Cade’s cry of pain was cut off when his teeth sunk into his tongue. He heard Dennis screaming at him, but the pounding of his heart in his ears drowned out what the man was saying. 

Cade choked on the blood that filled his mouth, his face screaming as he rolled on the floor. Rough hands grabbed his arm, but they were pried off him and he dropped back to the floor. With his right eye, Cade could see several feet shuffling and he assumed that Calvin and Raf were pulling Dennis away. 

Cade tried to breath through his nose, causing him to choke on more blood. Coughing, Cade sucked a small amount of air into his lungs and he rolled onto his hands, pushing himself up. Someone knelt beside him and gentle hands helped him sit.

“Fuck,” Calvin cursed, his hand gently cupping Cade’s cheek. “Just relax, Cade, take slow breaths. Can you stand?” Cade gave a jerky nod and let Calvin help him to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you to the kitchen.”

Cade could hear Raf and Dennis yelling, but he didn’t want to know what they were saying. In the kitchen, Calvin set Cade in a chair and hurried to the fridge. He returned, gently placing an icepack against Cade’s cheek. “We’re going to have to get the doctor out. I think Dennis broke your nose.”

“He told me I wasn’t allowed to read the book you gave me,” Cade whispered, his words slurred. 

“Shh, don’t worry about that now,” Calvin whispered, rubbing Cade’s back. 

“How is he?” Raf asked, rushing into the kitchen.

“Broken nose, split chin, black eye and I think he bit his tongue,” Calvin answered, dabbing at Cade’s nose. “Where is he?”

“He left and I’ve called Dr. Enges and I left a message for Eden. He’s still in class, so he won’t get it until later,” Raf sat down, gently taking Cade’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Cade. We should have known better then to give you the book while Dennis was in the house.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Cade winced when Calvin pressed a napkin against his chin. “He would have found another reason to hit me.”

“Bastard,” Raf growled. “If he keeps this up…”

“Raf,” Calvin warned gently. Raf’s hand tightened on Cade’s, but he didn’t say anything more. Cade didn't know how long it took for the doctor to arrive, but it felt like forever with the amount of pain he was in. 

“Dennis hit you pretty hard,” the man said, squatting down to look at Cade’s face. He was gentle as he poked at Cade’s cheek. The man gently opened Cade’s mouth and sighed. “I’m going to have to give you a little sedative so I can set your nose and stitch up your chin. You’re tongue isn’t bad, but you’ll be eating broth and soft foods for a few days while it heals. I’ll leave you some medication to take to help with the pain too,” the doctor explained. “Can we take him to Eden’s bedroom? I want him to be comfortable.”

Calvin and Raf helped Cade stand and walked him to Eden’s room. Calvin gently pulled off Cade’s shirt and laid him on the bed. The pain in his face was too much to feel the needle prick his arm and in a few minutes he felt like he was laying underwater.

The doctor continued to talk to him and he felt another sharp pain in is face. He sighed in relief when the pain slowly faded away. He closed his right eye and ignored the jumble of words the doctor was saying to him. He couldn’t understand them anyway and he didn’t want to know what the man was doing to his face.

Familiar hands touched his side and Cade reached up to touch Eden’s hand. Eden laced their fingers together, his lips brushing Cade’s knuckles. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to protect you,” Eden whispered.

Cade turned his head to reply, but a hand kept him from moving. He tried to say something, but his lips wouldn’t work. He willed himself to say something when another prick of a needle forced him to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Cade shifted slowly as he came awake, the pain from his face radiating throughout his body. A warm hand lay over his hip, another curled around the back of his neck and another hand was pressed flat against his stomach. Cade knew there should be one more hand, but he couldn’t feel where it was touching his body. His own hands were between his body and the men who were holding him.

Cade opened his right eye; the other was too swollen shut to open. He knew he was facing Eden by the bite mark he had left on his master’s neck the night before. The body pressed against his back was unfamiliar. He knew they were holding him in that position to make sleeping comfortable. His head was tucked under Eden’s chin, the bruised and battered side exposed so he wasn’t sleeping on it.

His chin was flush against his neck to keep him from hitting the stitches. Cade could feel bandages all over his face and he couldn’t breath through his nose. He tried to say something, but his tongue was swollen and throbbing. 

Cade shifted, groaning at the pain. He felt Eden’s chest expand when the man took a deep breath, shifting his body with Cade’s. The man behind him moved also, his fingers gently digging into Cade’s stomach when he stretched.

“Hey,” Eden whispered, his hand gently cupping Cade’s neck. “How are you doing?”

“My face hurts,” Cade grumbled, sliding his hands up Eden’s chest. His mouth felt dry and he wasn’t sure Eden could understand what he was trying to say.

“I know it does, do you need anything?” Eden pulled back so Cade could look up at him.

Cade shook his head slowly, his face throbbing every time he moved. “Does it look as bad as it feels?” Cade whispered.

“It’s not that bad,” Eden replied.

“Don’t let him lie to you,” Lucas growled behind Cade. He pushed himself up and looked over Cade’s shoulder. “It looks terrible and I bet it hurts like hell.”

Eden rolled his eyes and shoved Lucas so he fell back onto his back. “It will heal.”

“How long will that take?” Cade whispered, reaching up to touch the side of his face. Eden’s hand caught his and he lifted it to kiss his palm. 

“A week, maybe more,” Eden replied, sliding the tip of his nose over Cade’s fingers. “Doctor Enges made sure you would heal with little scarring.” Cade gave a small nod, hopping he wouldn’t have scars. Masters didn’t like their slave’s faces covered in flaws.

Lucas rolled back over and wrapped his arm around Cade’s waist. He softly kissed the back of Cade’s shoulder, his breath warming his skin. Cade slid his hand over Lucas’s and pushed back against him. He laced his fingers with Eden’s and closed his eyes. “You should get him something for the pain,” Lucas whispered, holding Cade closer. 

Eden gently kissed Cade’s forehead and rolled off the bed. When he was out of the room, Lucas moved, rolling Cade onto his back. Cade looked up into Lucas’s green eyes and tried to give him a small smile. “I’m alright,” he whispered.

“No you’re not,” Lucas replied in a stern tone, “and don’t lie about it.” 

Cade nodded, sliding his fingers over Lucas’s collarbone. He had never thought it would be a comfort to lay next to Lucas. “What about Dennis?” Cade whispered, his tongue feeling too large for his mouth.

“We haven’t seen him yet, but we’ve been talking about what to do,” Lucas sighed, gently kissing the top of Cade’s head. “He can’t keep doing this to you.”

“It’s my fault,” Cade groaned, rolling so he was closer to Lucas. Lucas slid his arms around him and held him close; adjusting Cade’s head so he wouldn’t hurt himself. “I was reading something I shouldn’t have.”

“I believe Eden gave you the option to read that book if you wanted to. That means you weren’t doing anything wrong. Besides, as we’ve said before, only Eden has the right to punish you.” Cade gave a small nod and curled closer to Lucas. All he wanted to do was sleep. 

Eden’s hand slid over Cade’s back, his nose brushing over his shoulder. “I have food and something to help with the pain,” he whispered. Cade wanted to protest when Eden and Lucas rolled him onto his back and helped him sit up, but he knew he needed to eat. Eating was terrible and swallowing was even harder. Cade was sure things could be worse, he just couldn’t think of anything worse right now. 

“Do you need anything else?” Eden asked when Cade refused to eat any more of the mush Eden was feeding him. Cade knew he needed to use the bathroom; he just really didn’t want to get up. His body told him otherwise and he forced himself to scoot to the edge of the bed. The medication Eden had given him was already kicking in and he stumbled towards the door.

Eden grabbed him and helped him to the bathroom, holding him up. Raf was standing in Eden’s bedroom when they returned and he gently hugged Cade. “You know you can’t skip class,” Raf told Eden.

“I’m not leaving him here,” Eden growled.

“Lucas and I will be here with him and we’re not going to let Dennis near him,” Raf said sternly. “You only have class till two. Go and come back.”

Eden growled and got into Raf’s face. Lucas got out of bed and pulled Cade towards him, wrapping a protective arm around him. Cade’s head was too fuzzy to know what was going on, but he knew Eden was mad. He reached out and grabbed Eden’s hand, squeezing it as hard as he could. 

“You need to learn, just like I do,” Cade said. His glassy eyes looked up at Eden, who was making a face he found really funny.

“How much did you give him?” Lucas asked.

“What the doc said to give him,” Eden replied.

“Eden,” Cade said louder, trying hard not to giggle and failing. “Go to class, learn things.” He started laughing and Lucas hauled him back onto the bed. He continued to tell Eden to ‘go to class’ until he fell asleep again.

~~~  
A few days later Cade was starting to feel better. The pain in his face had dulled and he was able eat a few bites of real food. Dennis hadn’t returned home yet and the longer he stayed away, the angrier Eden became. 

Cade sat quietly on the couch, reading a fantasy novel Calvin had given him a week ago. The book on slavery sat in Eden’s room, buried under a pile of notebooks. Cade had glanced at it this morning, refusing to attempt to read it again. 

It didn’t matter if he wanted to read it, or that Eden was allowing him to read it, Cade believed that Dennis’s outrage was just. He was a slave and he didn’t need to be reading anything that made him question himself or his master.

“Hey,” Calvin said softly, taking a seat next to Cade on the couch. “You feeling well enough to do some work?”

“I’m feeling well enough to do a lot of work,” Cade said, smiling as best he could without pulling the stitches. 

“Well, we can do some, but if you get tired, I want you to tell me.” Cade nodded, placing a bookmark in the book and closing it. He followed Calvin into the kitchen where Eden and Raf were talking. 

“You’re making him do schoolwork?” Eden asked, his blue eyes watching Cade walk around the table. 

“I probably would have begged him if he hadn’t asked,” Cade replied. He abandoned his chair to move towards Eden. “I’m feeling better,” he said, sliding his arms around Eden’s waist. “I need to do something that doesn't include sitting around and wondering when I’ll be able to breath out of my nose again.”

“The doc should be coming tomorrow to take a look at you,” Raf said, sipping his coffee. “Maybe he’ll think you’re nose is healed enough to yank the cotton out.”

“Good,” Cade muttered, setting his chin on Eden’s chest. He looked up at him, ignoring the slight pain from the stitches. “That means I can breath through my nose while I kiss you.”  
Eden’s eyes flashed and he ran his hands up Cade’s back. “Is this playfulness from all the painkillers I’ve been giving you?”

“Maybe, but I don’t care,” Cade whispered. “I want to be able to kiss you again.” Eden slid his fingers into Cade’s hair and bent down to kiss him gently. Cade made a noise of approval, sealing another kiss before he moved to the table.” 

Eden lingered for a moment, watching Cade until Raf forced him out of the house. 

~~~  
Cade glanced up at the clock when he heard the door open. He was still seated at the table, working on the chemistry homework Calvin had given him. It was five o’clock, which meant Eden was home from class. 

Cade scurried out of his seat, trotting into the living room. He paused when he stepped out of the kitchen and heard Eden growl something at someone. The other person hissed something in response and Cade heard him grunt when Eden shoved them against the wall. He glanced towards the men, his heart rate picking up when he saw Dennis pressed against the wall, glaring at Eden.

Lucas caught sight of Cade and moved towards him, pushing him back into the kitchen. “What’s he going to do to him?” Cade asked, turning to face Lucas when he let him go.   
“I don’t know, but you don’t need to see it,” Lucas answered. Cade watched the living room, listening as the two men growled at each other. There were a few seconds of banging and Dennis entered Cade’s view. 

“He shouldn’t be reading those books,” he sneered, whirling on Eden when the man advanced on him.

“He is my slave and I will do with him as I please,” Eden shot back. Hearing Eden call him a slave made Cade’s chest ache. Eden kept telling Cade he was more then just a slave, but not that Dennis was putting him on the spot, a slave was all Cade was to Eden. 

“Well it’s good to know you still admit to having some dominance over him. Why don’t you use it and tighten your hold on his leash!”

“Because I don’t want a slave I can easily dominate like you do. The stupid ones crawl all over you, waiting to be commanded and waiting for punishment. At least Cade will be smart enough to know his limits and push them.”

“Because you want a reason to punish him.” Dennis sounded amused and it made Cade’s skin crawl. “Give him the smarts to make him bend the rules and see just how much he can get away with before you bring power down on him, I’m impressed.”

Eden opened and closed his mouth several times and his hands clenching into fists. He wasn’t denying it, which could only mean it was true. Cade turned away, he didn’t want to hear any more of the conversation. Sliding the glass doors open, he stepped into the yard. He knew Lucas was watching him, so he didn’t worry about being out here alone. 

He paced the length of the yard, his brown eyes wandering as he lost himself in thought. After a minute of mindless pacing, Cade realized he had made it to the front of the house.  
Here no one could see him and he made his way to the sidewalk. He wouldn’t go any further then where he was standing, knowing that this was pushing the limits Eden and Dennis had been discussing. To Cade’s mind, it seemed as if he almost wanted to be punished, to see if Eden would strike him for breaking his rules. There were so few of them that Cade didn’t really have a reason to break them, so he had no way to justify why he was trying to break them now. 

Nonetheless, he stepped onto the sidewalk and looked around. It had gotten colder and most of the leaves had fallen from the trees. The air was crisp and it felt good to breathe it. It made Cade realized how much he hated being cooped up in the house again. Even going out with Eden felt restricted. All he wanted to do was be able to sit outside and enjoy himself.  
“Cade,” the sharp tone of his master’s voice made him flinch. He turned to see Eden and Lucas step out of the house. Eden stormed towards him, his blue eyes filled with anger. Cade braced himself for whatever his master was going to do. “What are you doing out here?” he growled. “I told you to never go outside.”

“I’m sorry, master,” Cade whispered. “I just didn’t want to be in the house anymore.” He knew it was the wrong thing to say, but he couldn’t stop himself form saying it.  
Eden’s hand struck Cade across the face and he stumbled backwards. “Do not disobey me again,” he yelled.

Cade straightened, his hand going to his chin. When he pulled his hand away he found drops of blood on his fingers. He turned his brown eyes to Eden, who looked angrily down at him. Lucas stepped up behind Eden and wrapped an arm around him, holding him tightly when Eden tried to take a step towards Cade again. “Don’t take your anger out on him, Eden,” he growled. “I know he broke a rule, but we both know this isn’t how you handle it.” His green eyes turned to Cade, “Cade, get back to the house.”

Cade nodded, giving the two men a wide range as he made his way to the door. He stepped inside and headed towards the bathroom. The stitches were fine and he quickly wiped away the blood and placed a bandage over his chin. He slid out of the bathroom and found the living room empty. He quietly took a seat on the couch, waiting for his master. He knew Eden wasn’t done with him and he didn’t want to hide from his master. 

Raf came down the hall and stood at the window, watching the two men outside. “You better clean up the kitchen table and put your books in Eden’s room,” he said without turning to look at Cade.

Cade did as he was told, returning to the couch when he was done. Eden shoved the door open seconds later and stormed into the house. He didn’t look at Cade when he walked past and ignored Raf when he called to him. The slamming of Eden’s bedroom door made Cade flinch and he closed his eyes.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him that angry,” Lucas said when he stepped into the house. He closed the door and glanced at Cade. “Cade, come help me make dinner.”  
Cade nodded, climbing off the couch and following Lucas into the kitchen. Lucas turned and gently took Cade’s face in his hand, inspecting the cheek Eden struck. “I’m sorry,” Cade whispered. 

“No you’re not,” Lucas replied gently. “You’ve been cooped up in the house for months and Eden knew you were getting restless. I think he truly was waiting for you to leave the house alone, you just chose the wrong day to do it.”

“That’s what Eden wanted wasn’t it?” Cade replied bitterly. “He wanted me to bend the rules, see how far I pushed before he would punish me.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Eden hit a slave, you know he doesn’t do that. He’s been under a lot of stress, especially with what happened with you and Dennis. I know that’s not an excuse, but stress will push people to their breaking point and Eden is at his limit. He’s going to be cold for a few days, just don’t do anything to upset him and he’ll calm down.”

Cade nodded and Lucas let go of his chin. He helped Lucas cook and then sat through a strained dinner with everyone. No one spoke, no one looked at each other and no one tried to lighten the mood. Dennis was first to leave the table, which eased the tension slightly, but it only made Cade feel even more uncomfortable. When Dennis wasn’t around Eden, Lucas and Raf would talk and enjoy themselves. Now they were silent as they cleaned off the table.

“Cade, come with me,” Eden said in a cold tone. Cade followed his master to his bedroom. “I have work to do, you are to sit on the bed. Do not move until it’s time for bed.”

Cade gave a small nod and climbed onto the bed. He sat quietly, his eyes downcast and his mid whirling with things Eden might do to him. After an hour Eden finished with his schoolwork and left the room. Cade stayed where he was, shifting only to lay down. It was another hour before Eden returned, commanding Cade to get ready for bed. When they both climbed into bed, Eden dragged Cade towards him, pressing his back to his chest and wrapping his arms around him. He didn’t say anything, merely laid there holding Cade tightly.  
Cade’s entire body was tense as he laid in Eden’s arms. He tried to force himself to relax, but every time Eden shifted, he would tense up again. He wasn’t afraid of Eden; he just couldn’t stop the reaction. It took a while, but Eden fell into a deep sleep, loosening his hold on Cade. Cade managed to relax a little more once he had wiggled his way out of Eden’s arms, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

His eyes watched the time slowly tick on the clock and after a few hours, he decided to get up. He slowly slid out of bed, glancing at Eden to make sure he was still asleep. When Cade saw that he was, he tiptoed out of the room. 

Raf was the only one in the living room this late at night and his eyebrows jumped when he saw Cade. “What are you doing up?” he asked.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Cade replied, moving towards the couch. 

“I’m a bit of a night owl, I like to stay up late,” Raf replied. “And you?”

“I can’t relax,” Cade whispered. “I get close to falling asleep and then Eden moves and I’m awake again.”

“It’s the first time he’s hit you, I would be jumpy too if I were you.” Raf glanced at the television for a moment, flipping through a few more channels before turning it off. “How about you stay with me tonight?” he asked. “I’ll take the blame if Eden gets upset.”

“I don’t know if I’ll get to sleep,” Cade whispered. 

“That’s alright, I’ll still hold you,” Raf gave him a small smile. He stood up, setting one hand on Cade’s shoulder and turning him towards the bedrooms. “Lets get to bed,” Raf said, leaning down to kiss Cade’s cheek.


	12. Chapter 12

“I hate to have to do this since you’re still healing,” Calvin sighed, leaning over the kitchen table to look at Cade. “But I need you to come to school with me today.”

“School?” Cade asked, setting down his textbook. “As in, go to class with you?”

“I need to present you to my class. Tell them about your learning speed and maybe do a little gloating.”

“Gloating?” Cade asked, staring at Calvin in confusion.

“You went from illiterate to doing high school level work in two and a half months, Cade. It’s not every day you get a student that’s that smart. We could probably sign you up for college courses next semester at the rate you’re going,” Calvin chuckled. “My professor is really excited to meet you and I had to put this presentation off until you were better.   
Unfortunately, I have to present you before the school closes for Thanksgiving next week.”

Cade nodded, his hand going to his face. The doctor had come and removed the bandages from his nose, along with the stitches on his chin. His cuts were mostly healed, but the bruise on his face was now an ugly yellow color. He wasn’t going to refuse to go because of it, even if he didn’t want anyone to see him like this. Calvin needed to do this to pass his class. It was obvious that Calvin had explained to his professor what had happened to Cade, so his face wouldn’t be a shock to the class.

“Alright,” Cade said, giving Calvin a small smile. “It’ll be fun, getting to see where you go to school.”

“After class I’ll take you to the library and you can really be in awe. Books everywhere, all waiting to be read,” Calvin smiled.

“Except I won’t get to read them,” Cade rolled his eyes.

“Sure you can. Pick a few out and I’ll take them out for you.” Cade smiled at Calvin and nodded. Eden walked silently into the kitchen, glancing at the two of them. His blue eyes lingered on Cade, but he didn’t say anything.

Things had been tense since Eden had slapped him and it seemed to be driving a wedge between them. Cade kept his focus on Calvin, asking him about the types of books in the library and which ones he should take out.

“If I remember correctly,” Eden said, setting a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal on the table, “there is a book sitting on my desk you haven’t read yet.”

Cade froze, his eyes dropping to the table. Eden was talking about the book on slavery, the one Cade had buried under a pile of papers so he didn’t have to think about it. He glanced at Calvin, meeting his eyes. “You can probably take that book back, I don’t think I need to read it.” 

Calvin’s face fell and he nodded slowly. His green eyes glanced up and he watched Eden move. Cade didn’t turn his head to see what Eden was doing, but Calvin nodded at whatever Eden had done. “I’m going to let you hold onto that book for a little longer. Maybe something will inspire you to read it.”

Cade nodded, even though he knew it was going to sit on Eden’s desk forever. “Are you taking him to class today?” Eden asked, sipping his coffee. His fingers slid over Cade’s side, finding the hem of his shirt and sliding under the fabric to touch warm skin. Cade suppressed a shiver, letting himself enjoy the warmth of Eden’s touch without showing it. After spending the night in Raf’s room, Eden had resigned to sleeping on the opposite side of the bed. Cade would normally keep his distance to sleep, but he would always wake up pressed against Eden. He wished they still had what they had before Dennis had hit him.

“Yeah, I’m going to take him to the library afterwards. Do you want us to meet you for lunch?”

“Why don’t we meet outside Highland hall and we can decide where to go from there,” Eden nodded. “I don’t have to work tonight so I’ll take Cade to my last class and then drive home.” 

Calvin nodded and stood. He set his cup in the sink and turned to Cade. “Are you ready?”

“Do I need anything?” Cade asked, getting up from the table. He cleaned his cup and Calvin’s too before turning around.

“Just you,” Calvin smiled. Cade nodded and went off to grab his shoes. Eden joined him in the bedroom, packing his things for class. 

“Calvin is really excited to bring you to class today,” Eden said softly.

“It will be fun,” Cade replied, sitting on the bed and pulling on his shoes. “It will be nice to get out of the house and see where you go to school.”

“Yes,” Eden sighed, taking a seat next to Cade. “You are always stuck in this house.”

“Staring at the same four wall every day isn’t always entertaining,” Cade replied. “But I make do.” He heard Eden sigh again and he glanced at the man. Eden watched him quietly, his blue eyes filled with several emotions. Cade stood once his shoes were on and turned to look at Eden. “I’ll see you at lunch,” he said, turning to walk away.

Eden reached out and gently took Cade’s wrist, pulling him back to him. He slid his arms around Cade’s waist and kissed the underside of his jaw. Cade closed his eyes, sighing at the feel of his master’s lips on his skin. He tilted his head and Eden immediately met his lips. The kiss was slow, almost as if they were getting to know each other again. 

Cade slid his fingers into Eden’s hair, deepening the kiss. He slid between Eden’s legs and pressed against him. Eden’s body relaxed and he slid his hands up Cade’s body. When they pulled away, both were smiling. 

“I missed that,” Eden breathed, sliding his lips over Cade’s neck. Cade hummed, running his hands over Eden’s shoulders. “Cade,” Eden whispered, pulling him closer. “I don’t want you thinking what I said to Dennis was true. It was what he wanted to hear.”

“I understand,” Cade replied, pushing away, “but you didn’t deny any of it either.” He leaned down to look in Eden’s eyes. “You let Calvin teach me and gave me only a few rules, Eden. Were you hoping I would try to break them?”

“I knew you would push,” Eden whispered. “Once you managed to come out of your shell a little you started pushing. You told me what you didn’t like, you had opinions about things, when given the chance you even snapped at me. I liked that, but a part of me wondered what I would do if you tried to break those rules.”

“Well you got your answer,” Cade replied.

“I haven’t hit a slave in a long time, Cade.”

“Well there are some things you just can’t resist.” Cade frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Eden smiled at him and set his hands on Cade’s hips. “This whole ordeal has made you more defiant.”

“If you’re going to start disciplining me I figured I’d better give you a good reason to do so,” Cade huffed.

“I don’t want to discipline you and I don’t want you to give me a reason to,” Eden sighed. “I just want you to be happy.”

“Well I’m not happy.” Cade took a step back so he wasn’t touching Eden. He had been content to do what his master had told him to do, but now that they were at this point he might as well say something about it. “I don’t like being caged like an animal, like the slave you keep telling me you don’t want me to be. I want to do something other then sit at the table and learn every day.” Eden’s smile softened and he opened his mouth to speak when his bedroom door opened. 

“We’re going to be late if we don’t get going,” Calvin said, his green eyes jumping between the two of them. Cade nodded, glancing at Eden and taking a step forward. He gave him a quick kiss and moved towards the door. Calvin followed behind, grabbing his bag form the couch. “Does that kiss mean you two have made up?” he asked when they reached his car.  
“No,” Cade replied, opening the passenger side door and climbing in. “I gave him a hard time,” he said quietly. The panic he was surprised he hadn’t felt before was now welling up inside him. He forced himself to take deep breaths and told himself that everything was going to be all right.

“You look like you’re going to be sick,” Calvin said, glancing between Cade and the road.

“Just a delayed reaction involving the need to start hyperventilating,” Cade answered. “Also, I may have just given my master a reason to sell me.”

“Eden is not going to sell you,” Calvin chuckled. “Just breathe and don’t worry about it. I’m sure whatever you said to him needed to be said and he’ll think it over and find a way to fix the problem.”

“We’ll see when we get home, I guess,” Cade sighed. 

The two of them fell silent as they entered campus. Cade watched as students hurried across streets and along sidewalks. Several were sitting on benches outside of large buildings, reading books or talking to fellow classmates. It was all fascinating to Cade and the fear he had been feeling was replaced with excitement. He was going to see what it felt like to sit in class and learn. 

“There is the smile I’ve been waiting for,” Calvin chuckled, pulling into a parking spot. “I will warn you, going to class isn’t as exciting as you’re probably thinking it is.”

“I will make that decision myself,” Cade replied, climbing out of the car. The air didn’t smell different on campus and the large buildings looked exactly like they were; large buildings created for learning, but there was something about it that made Cade feel smarter. Almost as if this was somewhere he should strive to be. Not that Eden would ever let him go to college.

He followed Calvin down the sidewalk, keeping close to him so he didn’t get lost. The campus was huge and there were several people passing them as they went. Trotting down a random set of stairs, Calvin pulled open the door of one of the buildings and motioned Cade inside. A sign on the door said it was the Miller-Smith Child Development Center.  
“Is this where you have all your classes?” Cade asked, walking excitedly down the hall.

“It’s where all my teaching classes are, I have classes in other buildings, though. Asides from you, I help out in the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes they offer.”  
“Are those the classes you want to teach?” Cade asked. 

“More like second or third grade, but it’s a good learning experience,” Calvin shrugged. He turned towards a classroom and opened the door. There were only a couple students in the room, all waving at Calvin when he entered. He guided Cade towards the middle of the room and took a seat at a table. A young man slipped into the seat next to Calvin and glanced at Cade.

“Is that him?” he asked, his smile growing.

“Yes, Cade, this is Jeremy. He and I have been stuck in the same classes since freshman year.”

“Nice to meet you, Jeremy said, holding out his hand. “Cal has talked nonstop about his little genius.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m a genius,” Cade replied, shaking Jeremy’s hand. “I don’t really have a lot to do at home, so I read.”

“If I were home all day with nothing to do, reading would be the last thing I’d do,” Jeremy chuckled.

“That’s why you have to beg me for my notes the day before a test,” Calvin teased. The two men continued their banter while more students entered the classroom. A woman had a little girl with her and Cade assumed she was her teaching project. 

A man with greying hair walked into the room and set his thing on the table in the front. Cade assumed he was the professor and was surprised that he looked so normal. Cade had believed that teachers would look godly and people would sit in awe when they stepped into a room. Instead, the students continued talking to each other, ignoring the man at the front of the class. 

“I hope you all wrote your papers,” the professor said. “You can place them on the table.” Calvin pulled a notebook out of his backpack and stood, taking his paper up and dropping it on the table. He smiled at Cade when he sat back down.

“After I give my little spiel about you and what you’ve been learning, they’re going to ask you some questions. Just answer them as best you can,” Calvin said, scribbling the date at the top of a page in his notebook.

“Will they be hard questions?” Cade whispered.

“No, mostly did you enjoy what you learned and how terrible of a teacher I was. Just stupid stuff,” Calvin grinned.

“Today will be our final presentations about your teaching experiments,” the professor said, his green eyes flashing to the young girl and then to Cade. “Then we will get have a discussion about what you learned and how to handle those situations that were troublesome. I do have to say that by far, you all did a pretty good job. I haven’t had so many success stories like I did this semester.” The man smiled, motioning to the woman to start.

The girl moved to the front of the class, explaining the lesson plan she had created and how much of it she achieved while the little girl stood quietly, playing with a button on her dress. Cade was fascinated at how little the woman was able to teach the girl. The woman had said the girl was six and Cade assumed that by the way the woman spoke, she should be much farther ahead in her lessons then she was.

Once the woman finished her speech; the class asked the little girl a few questions that included what Calvin had said they would ask. The little girl answered them enthusiastically and skipped back to her seat when they were done. Next was Calvin and Cade followed him up to the front of the class. He glanced at all the people watching him and nerves erupted inside him. He had never been in front of so many people before and he found it a little scary.

Calvin started the same way the other woman had, talking about his lesson plans and how he had only planned on teaching Cade to read. He explained how that all changed when Cade blew through the lesson plan in two weeks. After that, Calvin taught him anything and everything he could teach. 

“This is not typical,” the professor explained when Calvin was finished. “You may never find a student like this during your entire teaching career, but if you do, I hope you all teach them as much as possible.”

“Didn’t you say he was a slave?” someone asked.

“Yes, he belongs to a friend of mine,” Calvin replied.

“Who wants their slave to be smart?” he demanded, causing others in the room to groan. 

“I believe that is a question for another class,” the professor said. “Please don’t discuss them in my class.” Cade breathed a sigh of relief; he really didn’t want to hear someone else’s opinion on his right to an education.

“What’s your favorite subject,” someone asked form the back of the class.

“Math,” Cade replied, his eye shining with excitement. A ripple of laughter spread through the room and Cade smirked. He had been expecting that response considering Calving had told him that most of the people in the world would disagree with him. He continued to answer more questions about Calvin’s teaching methods and which form of teaching Cade preferred. 

“Is there a subject you didn’t like?” someone else asked once Cade finished talking about each subject he had enjoyed and what about them he liked.

Cade scowled, thinking about the book that he had left buried on Eden’s desk. But that wasn’t true, slavery was a part of history and he very much enjoyed history. “I don’t like when Calvin asks me to write my own stories. I don’t think I have the imagination for it and I honestly haven’t done enough to write from personal experience.”

“That is typical for someone with an analytical mind,” the professor said to his students. “But encouraging them to try such things as art and fiction writing will help them become well rounded. It is always important to encourage them to work on a subject they are weak at, it helps strengthen their minds.” He turned to look at Cade and Calvin and gave Cade a smile. “Thank you Calvin and thank you Cade, please have a seat.”

Calvin guided Cade back to their table and they both took a seat. Cade enjoyed listening to all the other students talk about their experiences and the different types of students they taught. He was surprised when Calvin confessed his own frustrations with Cade. There were just some things he couldn’t convey to Cad and get him to understand, which was very hard for him. Cade wanted to tell Calvin that he had done a great job, but as Calvin had said, there were something that neither could explain so the other would understand.   
By the time the class was over, Cade was smiling brightly as he thought about the many questions he wanted to ask Calvin later. “You’re looking extremely satisfied,” Calvin commented when they left the classroom.

“It was amazing,” Cade said excitedly. “I like sitting in a classroom and learning. It’s nice to have other students with you.”

“Your view of sitting in a classroom might change after you spend an hour in a lecture with Eden,” Calvin chuckled. 

Cade’s smile faltered for a moment, but he caught himself before Calvin could notice. Spending any time with Eden was hard for him right now, even after their moment together that morning. They left the building and headed down a flight of stairs to the open area where Eden was waiting for them. 

Eden smiled softly when he noticed them and he reached for Cade. “Did you enjoy class?” he asked.

“It was amazing,” Cade giggled, pushing up onto his toes and stealing a quick kiss. 

“I’m glad it was,” Eden’s smile widened and he slid his hand into Cade’s. “But you’re going to be bored out of your mind in my class so you might change your mind.”

“Calvin said that too, but it can’t be any worse then listening to him lecture about Chemistry.”

“Hey now,” Calvin warned, pouting as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not that bad.” Cade gave him a wide, innocent smile, but didn’t reply.

“Let’s go before you bruise Calvin’s ego,” Eden snorted, tugging at Cade’s hand. Calvin waved a goodbye heading off to find his girlfriend.

The atmosphere changed immediately once Calvin was gone and Cade could feel the tension seeping into his and Eden’s body. He glanced up at Eden and saw that he looked nervous as he maneuvered them down the crowded sidewalk. 

“How has your day been?” Cade asked, hoping to ease Eden’s nerves. 

Eden’s blue eyes glanced down at him, his lips twitching in a smile. “I passed my calculus test, which was a good thing considering I thought I was going to fail. As for the rest of the day, it was mostly class and there wasn’t anything special that happened.”

“Going to class is better then nothing,” Cade reminded him, following Eden into another building. He noticed the slight hitch in Eden’s step at his comment and frowned. Maybe that wasn’t the best wording considering the problems they were having. 

Noise erupted around them and Cade’s steps stuttered when he saw the amount of students wandering around. Cade had been to the mall before, but it wasn’t usually this full when Eden took him. Not even the sidewalks outside had this many students walking down them. Eden glanced back at him and squeezed his hand, guiding him between the crowds of people.

“I should have explained where we were going. This is considered the center of campus. All activities take place here and it’s where they put a little food court for students to eat at,” Eden explained.

“Are we going to have enough time to eat before your class,” Cade asked, dodging a man who was rolling down the hallway on a long board with wheels attached to it. 

“My class isn’t for another two hours,” Eden smiled at him, weaving through a crowd of people and stepping onto a line for sandwiches. “We have plenty of time before then.” 

Cade nodded, moving towards the cooler Eden pointed to and choosing something to drink. Eden had ordered by the time Cade returned and was now waiting for his order. He placed a comforting hand on Cade’s back, rubbing circles to get him to relax. Cade sighed, the tension easing out of him. He missed these touches and he hated that his own newfound stubbornness was putting a wedge between them.

Eden stepped forward, accepting the warm sandwiches from a woman and handing Cade his. After Eden paid, they made their way to the dining room, finding a small table tucked in the corner of the room. “Is it always like this?” Cade asked, opening his sandwich and looking around the room. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of people.

“I really have shielded you from society haven’t I,” Eden sighed, his blue eyes focused intently on his sandwich. “Only during lunch and dinner is it crowded. Any other time it’s quiet.”  
They fell into a tense silence while they ate, Cade watching the other people with wide eyes and Eden watching Cade curiously. Eden finished with his sandwich first and pulled out his laptop. Cade’s attention turned to his master and he watched his fingers move over the keyboard. His brown eyes moved up to Eden’s face. He looked tired and there were lines around his eyes Cade had never seen before. Cade realized that Eden had been under a lot of stress these past few months and a lot of it was because of him. 

Eden’s brows furrowed and he frowned at something on his computer. He set the hand closest to Cade on the table and Cade immediately took it, setting it in his lap. Eden glanced over at him and smiled softly, lacing their fingers together. He leaned forward and kissed Cade softly, easing some of the tension between them. 

“Let’s go to class,” he whispered against Cade’s lips. Cade smiled and nodded, kissing him again. An odd feeling crept into his chest, something he had felt many times before when he was with Eden. Cade assumed it was a feeling all slaves’ felt towards their masters and brushed it off as nothing. 

Cade stood up, reaching out to take hold of Eden’s shirt when he stood. Eden slid his arm around Cade’s shoulder and held him close for a second. Cade took Eden’s hand when they parted and followed him towards the exit.

To say Eden’s class was boring would have been an understatement. It was the worst torture Cade had ever been through. The professor droned on in a monotone voice, scribbling undecipherable words on the board. Cade wanted to scream after ten minutes and he had no idea how Eden could survive such a horrible lecture. By the looks on the faces of the other students, all of them seemed to want to harm themselves just to get away from the man talking. 

Cade nearly cried tears of joy when the hour ended. “You were right,” Cade said once they were out of the building. “That class was horrible. How do you survive through that every day?”

“The class is only on Tuesday and Thursdays and I hardly pay attention,” Eden admitted. “His tests are based on what’s in the text and not his lectures, so I work on other school work during class and study the text at home.”  
“Why don’t you just skip class altogether if he doesn’t test you on that horrible lecture?” Cade asked.

“Because he takes attendance and it counts as twenty percent of our grade,” Eden shrugged. They had reached his car and Cade slid into the passengers seat. Eden took his hand when he got in the car, never releasing it while they drove home. 

Raf was home when they arrived and he immediately started a conversation with Cade about his day in class. Cade told him excitedly about Calvin’s class, his entire mood changing when he grumbled about Eden’s. Raf laughed and told him that all his classes were like Eden’s.

“Cade,” Eden said softly, pausing in the hallway that led to the bedrooms. “Come with me,” he requested softly. Cade nodded and followed Eden to his room. Eden dropped his bag by the desk and pulled off his jacket. He sat on the bed and pulled off his shoes then slid backwards waiting for Cade to join him. Cade toed off his shoes and crawled onto the bed.  
Eden pulled him into his arms and kissed him softly. Cade scooted forward, wrapping his legs around Eden’s waist and sliding his arms around his neck. He moaned softly when Eden’s fingers slipped under his shirt. Cade stroked Eden’s hair, sighing into his mouth.

“I wanted to talk to you about what you said this morning,” Eden whispered. Cade pulled back to look at him and nodded. “I know you’re not happy, Cade, I see it in your eyes every time I come home. I kept telling myself it would pass, but it never did. Then everything happened with Vincent and Joseph and then with Dennis and I got scared. I didn’t want you to go somewhere and have someone attack you like they did.”

“Eden,” Cade whispered. “One thing I’ve learned is that most people can’t even tell I’m a slave. I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“You’re right, but I still worry and then I restrict what you’re allowed to do. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and I’ve decided no more rules.” Cade jerked back and stared at Eden with wide eyes. “You can go wherever you want and do whatever you want, all I ask is you tell someone before you go out.”

“Eden,” Cade whispered.

“I love you, Cade,” Eden whispered, sliding his fingers through Cade’s hair. “And if I’m going to love you, I need to stop treating you like my slave and start treating you like a human being.”

“I… I don’t understand,” Cade whispered, his chest squeezing as emotions flooded him.

“Don’t understand the word or why I love you?” Eden asked, his blue eyes flashing with worry.

“I don’t understand this feeling,” Cade whimpered, sliding his hand over his chest. “I see you and my heart beats faster and my chest gets tight and I feel like I can’t get enough air. Then you tell me you love me and those feelings get worse.”

Eden laughed softly and he closed his eye, a tear sliding down his cheek. “That’s love, Cade,” he said, wiping away the tear.

“So I love you too?” Cade asked, rubbing his chest. “I thought all slaves felt like this towards their masters.”

“Did you feel this way towards your old master?” Eden asked, rubbing Cade’s back.

“No, but he was a horrible man. I assumed because you were so nice, this is how you were supposed to feel.” Cade leaned forward and buried his face in Eden’s neck. “Wait,” he jerked back and looked into Eden’s eyes. “You said you wanted to stop treating me like a slave, what does that mean?”

“That means that after ten years I will give you your freedom,” Eden replied.

“Why ten years, is that like a trial period for loving someone?” Cade cocked his head.

“No,” Eden chuckled. “There is a law in place that slave owners must own their slaves for at least ten years before they can give them their freedom. It’s so people don’t buy slaves just to set them free. If you want more of an explanation you’ll have to ask Raf because I honestly don’t understand it.”

“So I’ll be your slave, but I really won’t be your slave?” Cade asked. He was very confused about how all this would work.

“Yes and no,” Eden sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. “I’m not going to try to control you and I’m not going to tell you what you can and can’t do, but for now, I’ll have to play the master part because of the law. I know it’s complicated, but we’ll just have to go with it and learn from our mistakes. I’ve honestly never felt this for anyone before and I don’t want to ruin it with you.”

“Alright,” Cade nodded, “but what happens if this doesn’t work? What if you and I fall out of love?”

“I’ll still give you your freedom, Cade, you at least deserve that,” Eden replied.

“And I can go to college?”

Eden smiled softly and nodded. “There are a few rules about slaves taking classes, but we’ll take care of that when we get there, you still have a lot to learn before you start thinking about college.”

“Okay, but what about a job, do normal people all have those and will I get to learn how to drive?” Cade asked as excitement bubbled up inside him.

“We’ll ease into all of that,” Eden laughed again. “For now, we’ll keep things as they are.”

“You mean where you spend all your money on me and I sit around all day?” Cade said deadpan. “No, wait,” he perked up, “I get to go out now.” He started giggling and threw his arms around Eden. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” Eden sighed, sliding his arms around Cade and hugging him tight.


	13. Chapter 13

Cade groaned, smiling softly when lips kissed over the curve of his ass. Eden kissed his way up Cade’s spine and gently nipped at the back of his neck. Fingers slid into his hair and Cade turned his head to expose more of his neck. Eden laid his naked body over Cade’s his cock slipping perfectly between Cade’s ass cheeks.

“Morning,” Eden whispered, kissing Cade’s cheek. 

“I didn’t hear the alarm go off,” Cade replied, his voice raspy.

“I was up before it so I turned it off,” Eden said, kissing Cade’s shoulder. “I just wanted to watch you sleep.”

“Is this still you apologizing or is this you loving me?” Cade giggled, sliding his arm out from under the pillow and setting it on top of Eden’s head.

“It might be a little of both.” Cade felt Eden shrug and his smile grew. He shifted his body, forcing Eden to roll away from him. He rolled onto his back and looked up into Eden’s eyes when he moved back over him. “I have to work in an hour.”

“Then you better get up,” Cade giggled, sliding his foot over Eden’s calf.

“What are you plans for today?” Eden asked quietly. It was much different then how Eden used to ask it. Before it was the tone a master asked his slave when he wanted to make sure they were entertained while he was away. Now it sounded like something someone would ask a friend, or in their case, a lover. 

“I haven’t decided yet,” Cade replied, smiling mischievously. “Maybe I’ll take a walk, or take a bus into town, I haven’t decided yet.”

“I’ll leave money for you if you decide to go to town.” Eden bent down and kissed Cade.

“You don’t need to do that,” Cade shook his head. “I can manage on my own.”

“Can you now?” Eden asked curiously, his blue eyes searching Cade’s body.

“What are you doing?” Cade giggled when Eden’s fingers slid over his thigh.

“Just looking for that money dispenser that’s going to pay for your bus fair and whatever else you plan on buying,” Eden replied casually.

Cade rolled his eyes and grabbed Eden’s hand. “Alright, you win. I’ll need a little money, but I’m not going to spend it if I don’t have to.”

“You may do whatever you please with it,” Eden whispered, nuzzling Cade’s neck. “All I ask is that you’re home by two so we can talk about Thanksgiving.” Cade nodded, giving Eden’s hair a gentle tug. Eden lifted his head and brought their lips together. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Cade sighed a wide smile spreading across his face. “Now get up before someone starts banging on the door.” 

Eden grumbled something as he climbed off the bed. He shuffled around his room. Tossing clothes on the bed before heading to the bathroom. Cade rolled back over and buried his face in Eden’s pillow, inhaling his scent. He moaned softly and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later Eden returned and Cade smiled when he heard the man groan painfully. “I would quit work just to stare at you laying there all day.”

“That’s not very productive,” Cade mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow. A hand slid over his exposed buttocks and he moaned softly. “You’re going to be late.”

“Stop reminding me,” Eden grunted. Cade heard the shuffle of clothes and the thump of shoes on the floor. The bed dipped when Eden sat down, shifting the mattress when he pulled on his shoes. “Are you going to give me a kiss before I go?”

“I don’t know,” Cade replied, rolling onto his back. “Letting you kiss me might keep you here longer and your job is very important,” he said in a very stern tone.

Eden snorted and leaned over to kiss Cade gently. “The money is on the dresser. Have a good day and just be careful.”

“I will,” Cade whispered, kissing Eden one last time. “Have fun at work.” Eden grunted as he pulled open his bedroom door. 

A silence fell over the room when the door shut and Cade laid in bed for several more minutes before he forced himself to get up. Eden could hear shuffling and voices in the living room as he headed for the bathroom, but he couldn’t remember who was home. He took a quick shower and headed back to Eden’s bedroom to dress.  
“Hey,” Lucas knocked on the door, “can I come in?”

“Yeah,” Cade called, pulling on a pair of boxers. 

Lucas slipped into the room and shut the door. He glanced around Eden’s room, moving to open the shades. A dull sunlight filtered in, making the room only slightly brighter. “Eden told us that he was giving you your freedom.”

“He is,” Cade said, pulling on a pair of pants. 

“Good.” Cade glanced up at Lucas, raising an eyebrow. “You were never meant to be a slave, Cade. You’re too smart and you’ve burrowed yourself into Eden’s heart. You deserve to be free and to love Eden as an equal.”

“Thank you,” Cade replied, still feeling slightly surprised. Though Lucas had been nicer to him, he had never imagined the man would accept Cade’s future freedom. “I wish it didn’t have to be ten years though.”

“Unfortunately there is no way around it,” Lucas sighed. “Eden said you were planning on venturing out today.”

“I am,” Cade said, trying hard not to sound defensive.

“Would you like some company?”

“Eden gave me permission to go out,” Cade said defensively. He cursed under his breath when he realized that he was still talking like a slave. 

“I know what you and Eden discussed and I’m not asking you so I can keep an eye on you for your master.” Lucas paused and rubbed his face with his hand. “I’m asking as a friend, one who knows that you have hardly been out of the house and don’t know your way around. If you don’t want to stay right by my side I’m not going to stop you. You have your freedom and you’re allowed to do whatever you want and if you don’t want me to go, just say the word.”

Cade regarded the man in front of him. Lucas had made a good point. Cade didn’t really know his way around the town and he was pretty sure he would have trouble finding his way back home. On top of that, he had no way of contacting someone if he did get lost.

“I would like it if you joined me,” Cade said. 

Lucas smiled and nodded. He left Cade to finish getting dressed, stating he needed to make a few phone calls before they left. Cade stepped out of Eden’s bedroom a few minutes later and headed towards the living room.

“You,” Calvin said when he spotted Cade. He leapt from his chair and walked swiftly over to him. Setting his hands on Cade’s shoulders, Calvin leaned over to look him in the eye. “I know Eden just gave you a free pass to everything, but you need to promise me that you’ll keep up with our lectures.”

“Calvin,” Cade replied softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Eden promised me I could go to college, do you really think I’m going to stop learning now?”

Calvin laughed, relief evident in his voice. “No, I guess you wouldn’t. Tonight we’ll take some time to work.” Cade nodded and followed Lucas to the door.

They took Lucas’s car instead of the bus and headed into town. “Do you have any idea what you want to do?” Lucas asked, glancing at Cade when he parked. 

“I just wanted to wander,” Cade shrugged. “I’ve never been able to go anywhere alone before and I just wanted to see everything.”

“I see,” Lucas chuckled. “Well I need to pick up a pie to bring home and that’s about all I have planned for this trip.”

“Thank you for coming with me,” Cade whispered when Lucas rounded the car and stood in front of him. Lucas smiled and kissed the top of his head.

“You’re running this outing so where to next?” Lucas asked, holding his hand out for Cade. Cade took it immediately, twining their fingers together and pulling Lucas towards the rows of stores. 

Cade went through several of the stores, looking around quietly and asking Lucas questions about things he didn’t know. Lucas explained everything Cade wanted to know, including some things he probably wouldn’t have told Cade a few days ago. Those explanations included some interesting leather things hanging in a clothing store that people used to restrain their slaves. After that discovery Cade pulled Lucas out of the store and headed to another.

“There is still so much you don’t know,” Lucas chuckled when they entered a bookstore. 

“At least now you’ll tell me what things are instead of keep them from me,” Cade replied, walking over to a large fantasy section. He read each of the covers and pulled a few of the books down to read their back covers. He found one about dragons that interested him and he reached into his pockets to pull out the money Eden had left him. When his hand curled around nothing he realized he didn’t have it. 

“What’s wrong?” Eden asked when he saw the look on Cade’s face. 

“Nothing,” Cade whispered, reluctantly putting the book back. 

Lucas followed the movement with his eyes and then glanced back at Cade. “Did you want that book?” he asked softly.

“It’s alright,” Cade glanced up at Lucas. “I don’t have any money anyway.”

“Eden said he had left you money.”

“He did, but I told him I wouldn’t spend it if I didn’t have to. I don’t need the book.”

“But you want it,” Lucas said, walking over to the shelf and pulling the book down. 

“I have enough books to read.” Cade waved a hand and turned towards the front of the store. 

“Eden left you that money to keep. It’s yours even if you don’t spend it today.”

“Really?” Cade asked. Lucas nodded and held out the book for him to take. Cade glanced at the book, reminding himself that the money was still at home. “I have too many books at home, just put it back.”

“Cade, where is the money Eden left you?” Lucas asked when Cade turned again. Cade’s shoulders stiffened and he turned back around to look at Lucas. “You don’t have it do you?”  
“No,” Cade muttered, looking down at his feet. “I forgot it on the dresser. I’m not used to having any, so I didn’t even think about it.”

“I know,” Lucas said softly. He kept the book in his hand and walked towards Cade. “I think there is something else you’re going to need before we head home.” He took Cade’s hand and led him to the register. He bought the book, ignoring Cade’s protests. “Cade,” Lucas said cupping his face in his hand, “don’t worry about it.”

“I’ll pay you back,” Cade said with determination.

“Fair enough,” Lucas replied, taking Cade’s hand and pulling him out of the store. They entered the one next door and Lucas led him to a wire basket hanging on the wall. Lucas picked up what was in the basket and Cade recognized it as the thing Eden kept his money in.

“Lucas,” Cade whispered.

“If you’re going to have money, you’re going to need a wallet,” Lucas replied, his green eyes looking down at Cade. “It will help you remember your money when you go out.” Cade nodded and glanced around the small store while Lucas looked. “You’re not going to pick one out?”

Cade blinked and turned back to Lucas. The man watched him with an amused smile and Cade realized that he had a choice on which one he wanted. “Fine,” he muttered, turning to look at the baskets. He looked at a few even though they all looked the same and picked a black one.

Lucas nodded and took the wallet, paying for it before Cade could get to the counter. It was getting close to two and Cade told Lucas he needed to be home before Eden did. They stopped at the bakery so Lucas could get his pie, picking up a box of cookies for dessert tonight.

“So, how was it,” Lucas asked.  
“It didn’t feel any different then when I went out with Eden before,” Cade replied with a shrug.

“That’s a good thing,” Lucas glanced at him. “It means Eden wasn’t keeping you from doing something normal. I will tell you, though; clothes shopping isn’t going to change. Even free people are forced to try on hundreds of clothes to make the one they love happy.”

“God I hate that,” Cade mumbled. “I only need enough clothes to get me through a few days and then I can wash them and wear them all over again.”

“That would be the logical answer, but we’re not programed to think like that,” Lucas chuckled. “Just wait till you go home with Eden, you’ll be changing your clothes for every meal.”  
“Wonderful,” Cade huffed. There were silent for a moment and Cade wondered what it would be like to go home with Eden. “What do you think he’ll introduce me as?” he whispered.   
“When?” Lucas asked, glancing at Cade.

“To his parents. Will I be his slave or something else?”

“You’ll be his boyfriend, Cade, just like Eden said you would be.”

“What if they don’t like me?”

“I doubt they won’t like you,” Lucas replied. “Plus, it’s sort of an unspoken rule that parents don’t like their son’s boyfriends at first, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.”  
“That sounds like a stupid rule,” Cade huffed. 

“Well it’s been around for hundreds of years and no one has attempted to change it. The best you can do is be polite and be yourself and hope they like you.” Lucas pulled into the driveway and parked his car. Eden wasn’t home yet, which gave Cade the chance to hide the fact that he’d forgotten the money Eden had left.

He carried his book into Eden’s room, glancing at Lucas when the man followed him. Lucas found the money on the dresser and walked over to Cade. “The book was fifteen dollars,” Cade told him, looking at the receipt.

“Do you know how much money is here?” Lucas asked, handing Cade the money. Cage looked down at the bills in his hands, noting that each bill said twenty dollars on it. There were four bills in his hand and a quick addition in his head told him he was holding a hundred dollars. When he told Lucas that he nodded. “Now give me fifteen.”

Cade looked back at the money and realized there was no way he could subtract the dollar amount of each bill, which meant he had to give Lucas more then what he owed him. It didn’t make sense to him, but he handed Lucas the bill anyway. Lucas took it, watching Cade for a moment.

“This is more then what you owe me.”

“That's all I have,” Cade replied. Lucas gave him a crooked smile and handed the money back to Cade. 

“Next time you have a lesson with Calvin, have him teach you about money. Once you’ve figured it out, then you can pay me back.” Cade nodded, taking the money back. He stuck it in his new wallet and set it on the dresser by his socks. If he were to go out again, he would see it when he went to grab his socks. 

Cade heard the front door open and close and Eden called out. Lucas responded, getting up and walking out of the room. Cade followed behind him, smiling when he saw Eden. They both shared a quick kiss and Eden asked him about his day.

“Lucas and I went into town,” Cade replied.

“Did you get anything good while you were there?” Eden whispered. Cade nodded and then glanced at Lucas, quickly dropping his eyes to look guiltily down at his shoes. “What’s wrong, love?”

Cade gasped at the name, his heart beating quickly in his chest. “I forgot the money you left,” he admitted quietly. 

Eden chuckled softly and kissed the top of Cade’s head. “I might have not thought that through as well as I should have. You’re not accustomed to carrying money, so forgetting it doesn’t surprise me.”

“I got him a wallet to help with that,” Lucas replied, setting a hand on Cade’s shoulder. “We’re just going to have to make sure he has it before he leaves the house.” 

Eden nodded and gently took Cade’s hand. “Come on, let’s talk before dinner.” Cade followed Eden back into his bedroom and took a seat on the bed. Eden joined him, pulling him into a deep kiss that lasted for several seconds. When they pulled away, Eden took Cade’s hands and laced their fingers together. “You and I will be leaving on Sunday for Thanksgiving. I’ll leave you to pack your things tomorrow and I’ll finish packing when I get home from work.” He paused for a moment to kiss Cade again. “My parents don’t know that you were given to me as a slave, so you don’t have to worry about what they’ll think when they see you.”

“That’s a relief,” Cade breathed. “What about if they don’t like me? I know Lucas said there was some sort of rule that parents weren’t supposed to like their son’s boyfriends, but I don’t want them to hate me.”

Eden chuckled and pressed a finger against Cade’s lips. “My parents are not exactly the most accepting of people, Cade. They say they are okay with me dating other men, but I can tell they don’t like it. Especially since I find myself surrounded by women during the holidays. I’m not going to change, though. I can’t make any promises that my parents will like you and I want you to ignore anything they say to you that sounds mean. They are like that to everyone and you shouldn’t get offended.”

“So your parents hate me and they haven’t even met me yet. What did they say when you told them I was coming home with you?”

“Nothing I want my boyfriend to worry about,” Eden replied. “Everything will be fine and even if it isn’t, I couldn’t care less what they thought of you. I love you, Cade, and I’m not going to let you go because my parents don’t approve.”

“What happens if they find out I’m a slave?” Cade asked as fear started to well up inside him. 

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Eden soother, stroking Cade’s cheek. “Everything is going to be fine and I don’t want you to worry.”

“That’s easy for you to say, you’re not trying to earn your boyfriend’s parents approval and hide that you’re really his slave for another ten years,” Cade huffed, the fear starting to boil over inside him.

“Hey,” Eden whispered, pushing Cade until he was on his back. “Just relax, Cade.”

Cade closed his eyes and tried to breath, forcing the fear away. He gasped when Eden’s fingers slid under his shirt. Eden’s lips followed, kissing up Cade’s stomach and chest. He flicked his tongue over Cade’s nipple, taking it into his mouth and sucking on it gently. Cade moaned, lifting his hips to rub against Eden.

Eden groaned and pulled away from the hard nub and moved down Cade’s chest. He popped the button on Cade’s jeans, running his tongue across his stomach. Cade whimpered and slid his fingers into Eden’s hair. He lifted his hips when Eden tugged at his jeans and whimpered again. 

Eden’s tongue slid over Cade’s thigh, up his stomach and chest and slid into his mouth. Cade moaned into the kiss, his fingers jerking open the buttons on Eden’s shirt. He slid his hands down Eden’s chest and tugged at his belt. He curled on hand over Eden’s waist and slid the other below the waistband of his slacks.

“Your fingers are cold,” Eden chuckled, lifting his hips so Cade could move his hand lower.

“You’ll warm them up for me,” Cade teased when his fingers curled around Eden’s cock. Eden groaned and rolled his hip. He set his forehead on Cade’s shoulder and nipped at the skin while Cade stroked him. Cade used his other hand to pull at the buttons on Eden’s pants, shoving the fabric down once he got them open. Eden pushed up and helped Cade pushed them down, freeing his hardening cock and Cade’s hand.

His blue eyes watched Cade’s hand move over his shaft and Cade took the opportunity to lean forward and swipe his tongue over the head. Eden gasped when Cade did it again, his fists clenching and unclenching with each lick. Cade opened his mouth and wrapped his lips around the head of Eden’s cock. He looked up at Eden as he suckled his cock.

Cade could see Eden’s lips form a silent curse and he let his tongue slide over the tip, smiling when he voiced that curse. Cade didn’t push more of Eden’s cock into his mouth; instead he sucked harder and used his tongue to tease the slit. Though he had never done this before, Cade was pretty sure the moans coming from Eden meant he was doing it right.  
Eden pulled his hips back and Cade released the head of his cock with a small pop. Eden had him pinned to the bed immediately and he kissed him hard. “God I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” Cade moaned, spreading his legs wider. “I would love you more if you were inside me.”

Eden snorted and reached for the bottle of lube. He coated two fingers and reached between them, sliding his fingers into Cade’s body effortlessly. With the amount of sex they had had the night before, Cade was pretty sure he didn’t need to be prepared right now. Eden’s fingers shuttled in and out while they kissed, neither of them in any hurry to finish. Cade began to writhe beneath Eden when he spread his fingers and pushed his fingers deeper.

“Eden, please,” Cade breathed, his hips jerking and his cock straining with need. Eden hushed him with another kiss and pulled out his fingers. He coated his cock with lube and entered Cade in one swift motion.

Cade squeezed his eyes shut and moaned, wrapping his legs around Eden’s hips. Eden pulled out slowly and pushed back in, smiling against Cade’s lips when he moaned again. Eden’s hips sped up and he settled into a rhythm that had Cade’s moans growing louder with each thrust and his pleasure growing quickly. 

Cade slid his hands over Eden’s neck and he fisted the hair at the base of his neck into his hands. Eden’s fingers were buried in Cade’ s brown hair and he pulled his head back to kiss at his neck. Cade whimpered when Eden’s teeth sunk into the sensitive skin, using his hold on Eden’s hair to pull his mouth closer. Eden released him and licked over the bite mark, sucking at it and kissing it until the pain subsided. 

Cade’s heels dug into Eden’s back, forcing him to drive deeper into him. Cade gave a sharp yell when Eden’s cock brushed over his prostate and he begged for more. Eden hushed him with another kiss, unhooking Cade’s legs and pushing his knees towards his head. 

“Cade,” Eden breathed, shifting his hips and driving deeper. His stomach brushed over Cade’s cock, drawing out beads of precome that slid over Cade’s stomach. Cade couldn’t stop his cries that grew louder and louder the faster Eden moved. He began to shake and his cock suddenly erupted between them. 

Eden moaned and reached between them to stroke his cock. Cade tightened around Eden’s cock, moaning when he felt it throb inside him. He held tight when Eden pulled out and lifted his hips to meet each of Eden’s thrusts. Eden gasped and his hand tightened around Cade’s ankle, come bursting from his cock. Cade shivered at the warmth filling him and he began to whimper when his cock became too sensitive in Eden’s grasp.

Eden released him and laid himself out over Cade’s body, his hips rolling as he still came. Cade moaned softly and slid his arms around Eden’s neck, kissing him gently. When Eden’s movements subsided, he pulled slowly out of Cade and rolled away from him.

Cade rolled onto his side and curled up next to Eden, kissing his shoulder. Eden slid his arm under Cade’s head and pulled him closer. They laid quietly together for several minutes, listening to their breathing slow. Cade ran his fingers over Eden’s chest, ignoring the sticky mess he was making. His finger vibrated when he felt Eden chuckle.

“You’re making more mess to clean up, little one,” Eden laughed, rolling over so he could kiss Cade’s lips.

“We’re just going to take a shower,” Cade replied flatly. Eden hummed and kissed Cade again.

“It’s my turn to start dinner.”

“Is that your way of kicking me out of bed?” Cade raised an eyebrow.

“Oh you can stay in bed,” Eden rolled over and sat up. “But that mean’s I’ll be all alone in she shower with no one to touch me but myself.” He pulled on a pair of boxers, giving Cade a wink before leaving the room. Cade laid on the bed for a second longer, imagining Eden touching himself. 

The image mad him smile and he hopped out of bed. He yanked on his boxers and followed Eden towards the bathroom. If Eden was going to touch himself, Cade might as well be there to watch.


	14. Chapter 14

Cade remembered the rout he had taken months ago like he had done it yesterday. He remembered the town, the trees and the houses that had taken him to Eden’s home. Now he was watching them in reverse as they traveled back to the house he first me Eden in. His stomach was twisting with worry and his nerves were starting to get to him. He was still, for all intents and purposes, a slave. A slave whose master had fallen in love with him and was giving him his freedom in ten years time; the same man who hadn’t mentioned any of this to his parents when he told them he was brining his boyfriend home for the holiday.

“You’re getting fidgety,” Eden observed, reaching across the seat to take Cade’s hand. 

“I just feel like there is so much that could go wrong,” Cade whispered. “I don’t want them to hate me. What if they find out I am your slave, then how are they going to react. I don’t want them to give you a hard time because of what I am. Then there is the fact that you’re obviously much smarter then I am and probably deserve so much better then me and they’re going to see that immediately bec-”

Eden pressed his hand to Cade’s mouth to stop his rambling when he stopped at the light. He cupped Cade’s cheek and leaned over to give him a quick kiss. “Just be yourself, ignore anything negative they say and stop worrying. Like I’ve said before, I don’t care if my parents approve or not. I love you and I’m not going to change because of how they feel. Besides, you’re much smarter then I am. I sure as hell can’t do complicated math problems in my head and I couldn’t tell you what happened on a specific date in history.”  
“But I have no degree,” Cade replied in a quiet voice. 

Eden’s blue eyes turned to look at him and he smiled softly. “Just because you don’t have a piece of paper that says you graduated from school doesn’t mean you’re not smart, Cade,” he said softly. Cade knew Eden was right, but he still couldn’t stop the doubt forming in his head.

They pulled into the driveway and Eden parked his car by the garage. Cade looked up at the large house, his brow furrowing. “I don’t remember it being this big,” Cade whispered.  
“I think you were too overwhelmed to notice,” Eden replied, climbing out of the car. Cade got out and looked around, feeling like he had fallen into one of the fairy tales he loved to read. Eden came around the car and held out his hand for Cade to take.

“What about our luggage?” Cade asked.

“Someone will come out to retrieve it,” Eden replied. His blue eyes suddenly looked weary and Cade realized that he was nervous. He studied Eden’s face for a moment longer, wondering if they shared the same worries. He decided not to point out Eden’s nerves and took his hand, smiling up at him. Eden took a deep breath and led Cade to the door. 

The house was silent when they entered and Cade let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t wanted to be bombarded the second they walked in the door. Eden tugged on his hand, leading him down the hall and into a large living room. A woman sat on one of the couches, rocking a baby in her arms while she watched the news. Hear head snapped up when she heard them enter and a bright smile spread across her face when she saw Eden.

“How is my baby cousin?” she said, pushing herself up and giving Eden a one armed hug.

“I’m good,” Eden replied, taking the baby out of the woman’s arms. He turned to Cade and motioned to him. “This is my boyfriend Cade, Cade, this is my cousin Serena.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Cade said.

“You brought your boyfriend home to your parents?” Serena asked in surprise. Eden gave her a small nod, then turned his attention to the baby in his arms. “He must really like you then,” Serena said gleefully. She took a step forward and wrapped Cade up into a tight hug. “You are adorable.”

“You better hope mother and father think so too,” Eden muttered. He wiggled his fingers, causing the baby to squeal with laughter. 

Serena rolled her eyes and looked back at Cade. “Don’t worry about Carrie and Tom, they have negative opinions about everyone.”

“Thanks for the words of encouragement,” Cade muttered. He watched Eden play with the baby and smiled softly. Eden would make a good father one day.  
“Makes you want to adopt doesn’t it?” Serena asked, her blue eyes watching Eden.

“I’m not sure I would be a good father,” Cade admitted. He had never been around children asides from handing out candy at Halloween. 

“Well you can practice on Henry, he loves the attention,” Serena said, watching Eden play with her son. 

“Eden?” A woman stepped into the room, her blue eyes looking straight at Eden. “You don’t come to say hello when you arrive? I had to hear that you were here from Charles.”

“Sorry, mother,” Eden replied, handing Henry back to Serena. He walked over to her and gave her a stiff hug. “You’re looking well.”

“As are you.” She gave him a forced smile and glanced at Cade. “Is this your boyfriend?”

“Yes, this is Cade. Cade, this it my mother Carrie.” Eden waved Cade over, sliding his hand over Cade’s back when he stepped closer.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Carrie said in a polite tone.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Carrie replied, flashing her a polite smile.

Carrie’s smile waivered for a moment as she looked him over. Apparently her initial assessment of him did not pass her standards. “I hope you enjoy your time here.” Her blue eyes turned to her son and Cade saw disapproval flash across her face. “Eden, honey, your father has been waiting for your arrival. Why don’t you take your guest to your room and then you can meet with him.”  
Eden nodded, a grim look crossing his face. He slid his hand into Cade’s and led him from the room. Tension stiffened Eden’s shoulders as they walked, making his movements stiff and jerky. Cade made an inquisitive sound and squeezed Eden’s hand gently. Eden breathed heavily through his nose and let it out in a long, slow sigh.

“My father wanting to speak to me so soon after you and I have arrived isn’t a good thing. There is something he wants to discuss and I can only imagine what it is.”

“Maybe he just wants to welcome you home and nothing more,” Cade tried.

Eden’s blue eyes glanced down at him and he smiled softly. He stopped at the bottom of a flight of stairs and slid his arms around Cade’s waist. “I hope you’re right, little one,” he whispered. He leaned down and stole a quick kiss before turning and leading Cade up the stairs. 

The room was exactly the same as it had been the day they had met and Cade smiled at the memory. He walked over to the bed and slid his fingers over the smooth comforter. A thought came to him and he wondered if Eden would be willing to reenact their first night together.

“It feels like only yesterday I found you tied to my bed with a beautiful bow tied around your chest,” Eden whispered, setting his hands on Cade’s hips and squeezing gently. 

“I can’t believe how much has changed since that night,” Cade replied, his smile growing. He turned in Eden’s arms and pushed up onto his toe, kissing him gently. “You should go see your father.”

“I know I should,” Eden sighed, his shoulders growing tenser under Cade’s fingers. “Can you stay here for me and I promise to give you a tour of the house when I get back.”

“I’ll stay, but I might be naked when you get back,” Cade said in a suggestive tone. Eden hummed in approval and captured Cade’s lips. 

“You take off all the clothes you want, love. So long as you’re lying spread out on my bed when I get back.” Cad giggled, nipping gently at Eden’s lower lip. He pushed Eden away when he tried to steal another kiss and pointed sternly towards the door.

Eden gave him one last smile that set a fire burning inside Cade. There was no doubt that Eden knew just what Cade wanted and how to give it to him. He toed off his shoes and headed towards the bathroom, kicking off his socks as he went. 

He was naked when he exited the bathroom, his hair wet and his skin warmed from the shower. Their bags had been left by the bed and Cade took the bag containing Eden’s suit and placed it in the closet. It was then he realized that Eden had never taken him to be fitted for a suit. 

The door to the room opened and Cade turned to see Eden’s harrowed face. His blue eyes brightened slightly when he spotted Cade standing naked by his closet and Cade notice a small smile tugging at his lips.

“How was your talk with your father?” Cade asked, taking the few steps towards the bed.

“It wasn’t good, but it also wasn’t bad.” Eden shrugged, his blue eyes sliding over the length of Cade’s body.

Cade gave him a seductive smile and slid onto the bed. He laid on his stomach and stuck his ass in the air. He propped his head on his hand and looked up into Eden’s eyes.

The weariness was gone from his beautiful blue eyes and replaced with a heat Cade saw a lot of recently. Cade rolled onto his back and tilted his head back to look at Eden, his hand curling around his cock. His smile grew when Eden made a pained noise in the back of his throat.

“Is this what you meant when you said you wanted to see me stretched out across the bed?”

“You are going to get me into so much trouble while we’re here,” Eden growled, stalking towards the bed. He leaned down to capture Cade’s lips, his blue eyes focused on the hand stroking Cade’s cock. “This is going to have to be quick, we have to be downstairs for lunch in twenty minutes.”

“It's always much more fun when we have to be quick,” Cade whispered, curling his fingers into Eden’s hair and jerking him down for another kiss. 

~~~  
Cade sat next to Eden, one hand laced together with Eden’s under the table, the other settled in his lap while they waited for lunch. The lunch was to introduce Cade to Eden’s parent’s, which meant Serena was absent from the table. 

Eden’s father sat at the head of the table, his grey eyes watching Cade with distaste. From the moment Eden had introduced Cade to his father, the man looked at Cade with disapproval.  
“Cade, Eden told us you’re also attending school,” Tom said, looking coldly into Cade’s eyes. “What are you studying?”

Cade glance quickly towards Eden and then met Tom’s eyes. “A little bit of everything at the moment,” Cade replied truthfully. “I’m leaning more towards mathematics, but right now I just want to learn a little bit of everything.”

“So you don’t have any plan for your future?” Carrie asked bitterly.

“I’ve been putting a few ideas together,” Cade answered, his voice growing quiet. Eden squeezed his hand under the table, rubbing his thumb over the back of Cade’s hand. A woman rolled a long tray of food into the room, placing plates with little sandwiches in front of each person. She then ladled a thick and creamy soup into a bowl, smiling at Cade when he thanked her. 

Eden leaned over, his lips brushing against Cade’s ear. “Potato bacon, my favorite soup,” he whispered. “The cook always makes it for me when he knows I’m going to be home.”

“It looks good,” Cade replied, glancing at the three spoons placed around his plate. Eden reached across him and picked up the largest spoon, holding it out for Cade to take. He dipped the tip of the spoon into the bowl and lifted it to his mouth. He closed his brown eyes and swallowed a moan along with the soup. 

When he opened his eyes Eden and his parents were watching him. Eden with a fond smile on his face and his parents with offended frowns. Cade quickly dropped his gaze and slid his spoon back into the soup. Eden leaned over and kissed his cheek before he pulled back and started on his own soup.

“So Cade,” Tom started as he nibbled on a sandwich, “where do you work?”

Cade paused, his spoon half way to his mouth. He set the spoon down and shrank back in his chair. He was tempted to bolt, but Eden’s hand in his kept him from fleeing. “Cade is currently focused on his education,” Eden explained, his tone flat. He bit into one of the sandwiches, ignoring the surprised looks both his parents gave Cade. 

“So you are unemployed and you haven’t even chosen a field of study.” Tom grunted, his face going hard. He set down his spoon and pushed his plate away making it seem like the news had made him loose his appetite. “Eden, where did you find this man?”

“We met the night of my birthday party, father,” Eden replied coolly. “He even spent the night with me.”

“And you should have sent him on his way that morning,” Carrie sniffed. “I’m sure there are other people you could waste your time with. Other people who are smarter and employed.” She stressed the last word, her blue eyes cold as she looked at Cade.

“I’m sure you would understand why I stay with Cade if you knew anything about love, mother,” Eden replied coldly. He had also set down his spoon and was now watching his parents. His mother’s cold glare turned to her son and Eden met her gaze. Mother and son stared at each other for several minutes before Eden dropped his napkin onto his plate. “Cade and I have a few things to take care of, so if you will excuse us.”

Cade stood when Eden tugged on his hand, giving Tom and Carrie a small smile and followed their son out of the room. “I take it this is how the week is going to go?” Cade asked. 

“More or less,” Eden replied. He slowed in the hallway and looked back at Cade. “I’m sorry, Cade. I had hoped my parents wouldn’t be so cruel.”

“It’s alright,” Cade whispered, kissing Eden’s cheek. “I can handle myself and with you by my side, I can do much more then I think.”

Eden smiled softly and pulled Cade towards him. He wrapped his arms around Cade and kissed him softly. “Lets take a drive into the city, I have a tailor that I need to visit and you need a suit.”

“You sure you don’t want me to come to Thanksgiving dinner naked? I’m sure you’re parents would love that.” Eden snorted and shook his head, his lips brushing across Cade’s. Eden was slowly starting to relax and Cade no longer cared if he gained Tom and Carrie’s approval. All he wanted was to see the love in Eden’s eyes and the fond smile on his face when he looked at Cade.


	15. Chapter 15

Cade sat next to Eden in the sitting room, his brown eyes shining while he listened to one of Eden’s uncles tell a story about Eden when he was five. Eden was sitting next to him with his face in his hands, shaking his head. The rest of the family around them were teasing Eden while his uncle continued on. 

For the most part Eden’s family had accepted Cade, only a few, including his parents, giving him cold looks when Eden introduced him. Serena’s parents had stuck close to Cade after they met him, reassuring him that they would keep an eye on him that night. Unlike Eden and his parents, Serena and her parents didn’t look like they were rich. He assumed they were like Calvin and lived comfortably, but didn’t have the money or privileges Eden had.

Tonight was Thanksgiving and asides from Eden’s family; there would be hundreds of other guests. Apparently Eden’s parents cared less about their family and more about their reputation. The family didn’t seem to mind it, but Eden would get frustrated when talk about the dinner came up. He preferred having a quiet family gathering, which was why they secretly set up a second dining room to eat in when dinner was served. The rest of the guests were allowed to sit wherever they pleased once dinner was served, which meant no one would notice the rest of the family missing.

“I can’t stand the damn suits,” one of Eden’s cousins complained. “They are so uncomfortable and I hate wearing ties.”

“So come in a pair of jeans, no one’s gonna’ care,” Eden’s aunt called. The room erupted in laughter and Eden explained that some of the family had shown up last year in jeans and t-shirts just to horrify his parents. If it weren’t for the fact that it was a holiday and Eden’s parents were all about presenting a happily family, none of them would have been invited. 

“You get the third degree from Carrie and Tom yet?” One of Eden’s uncles, Harry maybe, asked. 

“I don’t know what that means,” Cade whispered, his face heating with embarrassment.

“It means did they interrogate you until you felt uncomfortable,” Eden explained. He looked at his uncle and shrugged. “They already disapproved when I told them he was coming, so it didn’t take too many questions before they were downright disgusted.”

“Well, you’ll never make them happy,” Harry shrugged. “We all know they expect the best and you graduating next year and on the fast track to takeover management at that hotel you’re working at and introducing them to a guy as kindhearted as Cade here would definitely earn their disapproval.”

“I know,” Eden’s smile had a hint of laughter in it, “what will they think when I find my own apartment, move out and start a life of my own.”

“Now you’re pushing it,” Harry laughed. He checked his watch and grunted. “Your guests will be here in a few hours, we should probably all go get dressed.”

Eden nodded and stood. He held out his hand for Cade, who took it immediately. The family filed out of the sitting room and Cade and Eden headed upstairs. “I like your family,” Cade said when they stepped into Eden’s bedroom. “I especially like the stories they told about you.”

Eden groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. “Don’t tell those stories when we get home. Raf and Lucas will have a field day with them.”

“Oh come on,” Cade giggled, sliding up to Eden and wrapping his arms around him. “I bet they’ll think it’s adorable, you yanking off all your clothes and running around naked when your father’s business partners came to visit.”

Eden groaned again and buried his face into Cade’s hair. Cade laughed aloud, squeezing Eden’s waist. He had never had a family before and he liked that he had easily molded into Eden’s. It was nice to feel welcome in a house full of relatives.

“We need to get dressed don’t we?” Cade asked.

“We do, but we should shower first,” Eden whispered. He cupped Cade’s chin in his hand and kissed him softly. “If you feel at all intimidated tonight, you come find me and we’ll leave. I don’t want you stressing about the people and their opinions. They mean nothing to me and those whose opinions I do care about have already approved of you.” Cade nodded, pulling away from Eden and heading towards the bathroom. 

An hour and a half later Cade was dressed in a navy blue suit with a white button-down shirt and a skinny navy studio stripe tie. Eden had on a dark black suit that made his blue eyes vibrant. He had on a pink buttoned down shirt and plum and light blue striped tie. Eden had decided to forgo the pocket squares, but had made sure to put on the cufflinks he had purchased the day Cade when for a suit fitting.

Cade’s were white ovals and Eden showed him how to put them on so Cade could help him with his. Eden’s were square, with a small white diamond in each. Everything they had put on was very expensive and Cade hoped he wouldn’t accidentally spill something on himself tonight.

He pulled on his polished leather shoes and tied them, straightening his jacket as he stood up. He ran his hands over his pants and took a deep breath. The suit wasn’t calming his nerves and Eden hadn’t fully relaxed since they had arrived.

“Wow,” Eden whispered. Cade glanced up to see Eden’s sharp blue eyes looking him over. “You are very handsome when you get dressed up.” Cade gave him a small smile and licked his lips. Eden groaned and shook his head. “You refrain from giving my those looks all night and I promise to show you how much fun it is to take that suit off.”

“No promises,” Cade replied, his brown eyes darkening at the thought of Eden undressing him later that night.

Eden’s grin was mischievous when he nodded. He linked his arm with Cade’s and headed towards the door. There were people hurrying around setting out food and pouring drinks left and right.  
“I know you haven’t tried alcohol yet, so I’m going to advise that you don’t overdo it. One glass will probably be enough, but if you decide to have more, I’ll make sure to comfort you while you’re puking in the toilet later,” Eden told Cade as they made their way to the kitchen.

Cade snorted and shook his head. “I had already decided on one just to try it. I promise not to go crazy, I do want to have fun with you later tonight and I doubt that includes throwing up all night.” Eden nodded, the corner of his lips quirking up. 

Carrie was in the kitchen throwing out directions while people scurried around her. She had a cream colored dress on that fit her tightly at the bodice and bloomed at the waist, flowing to the floor. She had on pearl earrings and a pearl necklace and her hair was up in a bun. Cade could see small white flowers tucked into the locks when she turned her head. 

“Eden,” she said when she spotted her son. Her eyes darted to Cade and he had to hide his smile at her look of surprise. “Your boyfriend cleans up well, let’s just hope he doesn’t embarrass you tonight.” 

“Cade will be fine,” Eden replied stiffly, “and I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk about him like that.”

Carrie merely shrugged and continued to pretend like Cade was an annoying statue she didn’t have to deal with for long. She reached up and tugged at Eden’s jacked, smoothing down the sides. “Our guests will be here in ten minutes, you should go greet them.”

“Yes mother,” Eden replied, his tone still cold. He made a show of taking Cade’s hand and led him out of the kitchen. Serena gave them both hugs when they entered the living room, telling them both how handsome they looked. 

Eden’s family looked just as uncomfortable as Cade felt, but they all seemed to be handling the situation well. Eden went off to greet his guests, leaving Cade in the safety of his family.   
“That boy loves you very much,” Eden’s aunt told him, her voice soft as she spoke. “You keep away from his parents. Speak to them only when they talk to you, but don’t go out of your way to spend time with them. I have seen what they do to the people they don’t want Eden to spend time with. They will do whatever they can to get rid of you.”

“Eden and I are closer then you know,” Cade replied. “It will take a lot to get rid of me.” Eden’s aunt nodded, but she didn’t look convinced. 

An hour later Eden returned for Cade, kissing him gently before they joined the party. Cade didn’t recognize anyone and Eden quickly explained that Raf, Lucas and Dennis would not be attending. Apparently their families did believe in that only family should be apart of this holiday. 

Cade took a tall glass from a waiter when he offered it and stared at the bubbly liquid. He glanced at Eden, who was watching him carefully. His blue eyes were more curious then anything and Cade took a sip. It tickled on the way down and there was a sweet taste left on his tongue.

“It’s better then I thought it would be,” Cade told Ede, taking another sip.

“Just pace yourself, love. You’re alcohol tolerance is very low and I don’t want to see your first experience drinking go bad quickly.”

Cade smiled softly and slid his hand over Eden’s. He had promised himself that he would only have one and he wouldn’t have any more. Cade spent most of the night with Eden, only wandering off when one of his family members started talking to him. He kept his distance from Eden’s parents and only spoke to people he didn’t know when they spoke to him first. For the most part he was ignored, there were very few people who knew who he was and even less wiling to strike up a conversation with him to find out. It wasn’t until much later in the night that Cade found himself cornered by Vincent. He had emerged from a group Cade had just been talking to and grabbed hold of him, dragging him across the room. Cade had no choice but to follow along or make a scene. 

“What are you doing drinking?” he demanded when they were alone.

“I’m allowed to drink,” Cade replied, taking a sip just to anger the man.

“Allowed to drink?” Vincent snorted. “The insolence Eden let’s you get away with. If you were mine I would take you outside and beat you black and blue for speaking to me like that.”  
“Well lucky for me I’m not yours,” Cade replied through gritted teeth.”

“What is this all about?” Tom demanded when people around them turned their heads to listen. He and Carrie had wandered over and Cade found himself boxed in. He squirmed against the wall, his brown eyes darting around the room for Eden. 

“I was just wondering why Eden’s slave was allowed to drink,” Vincent replied, his voice dangerously low. Cade’s body went cold and he tensed. Carrie and Tom both looked surprised and they looked down at Cade like he was a dog who had just messed on the floor. 

“I’m not Eden’s slave,” Cade replied, trying to keep his voice from shaking with fear. “I am his boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Vincent snorted. “You are his slave.”

“Slave?” Carried demanded. “Eden introduce him as his boyfriend.”

“Cade is the slave Jacob and I bough for Eden on his birthday,” Vincent explained haughtily. “He’s not Eden’s boyfriend and he’s certainly not free.”

Cade flinched when Tom and Carrie looked at him. Tom discretely grabbed Cade’s arm and pulled him away from Vincent. He dragged Cade towards Eden, taking his son’s arm and pulling him away from the couple he was speaking to without a word.

Eden gave them an apologetic smile and then looked down at Cade. Cade mouthed an apology as they made their way to an office. Carrie shut the doors behind them and locked them.  
“Eden,” Tom started, his voice hard, “who is this man?” He shoved Cade forward and Eden immediately caught him. 

“I told you, Father,” Eden replied, pulling Cade close to him.

“Did you? Because Vincent told us he was your slave,” Tom’s voice rose. “You brought a slave into our house and introduced him as your boyfriend.”

“I love him,” Eden growled. 

“He is a slave, Eden, we do not fall in love with slaves,” Tom shouted.

“He is not a slave. I gave him his freedom.”

“You got him for your birthday, Eden,” Tom hissed. “The law states that you must own a slave for ten years before you can give them your freedom.”

“You need to get rid of him, Eden,” Carrie said softly. She sounded like a mother scolding her son for eating candy before dinner.

The room felt silent and Eden held Cade closer. Cade squeezed his eyes shut and set his cheek on Eden’s chest. Cade could hear Eden’s heart hammering in his chest and he could feel the quick rise and fall of his chest. Though Eden seemed to dislike his family, they were still his family and Cade knew that family would always come first. 

“I am not getting rid of him, mother,” Eden hissed. “He is not trash that can be thrown in the garbage. I will not send him away because you don’t approve.”

“Can you imagine the scandal,” Carrie snapped. “The reports will be all over this. Your name will be sullied; your family’s name will be sullied. Do you really want that?”

“Don’t make this out to be something it isn’t,” Eden scoffed. “The only one’s who will spread rumors are your friends and they are lower then trash.” Carrie stared at her son in outrage, her eyes going wild as she stuttered to say something. 

“If you don’t get rid of him, I will,” Tom warned when Carrie didn’t say anything more. 

Eden straightened, his hold loosening on Cade. Cade glanced up at him to see the man grinning. “You and I both know you can’t touch Cade and you also know the legal charges that not only I, but the state can bring up against you if you try.” 

Tom’s lips thinned and his eyes turned cold. Cade could see that the man had been beat and he wasn’t happy about it. Eden didn’t give his father a chance to say anything more. He gently took hold of Cade’s hand and pulled him towards the door. His mother moved out of the way when they got closer and Eden threw the lock with ease and stepped out of the room.

Cade followed along quietly until they were at the top of the stairs. He tugged gently on Eden’s hand, forcing him to stop. Eden turned and immediately wrapped Cade up in a hug.   
“I had no idea Vincent was going to be here tonight,” he whispered. “Are you alright?”

“I think I’m going to need another drink,” Cade replied, clutching to Eden’s jacket.

“Me too,” Eden chuckled. “Dinner with the family will be in a few minutes if you still want to go.”

“Yes,” Cade whispered. “Besides your parents, the rest of the family still likes me. Then again, they don’t really know that I’m a slave.”

“You are not a slave, Cade.” Eden leaned down and kissed him gently. “Let’s go get a drink and join the family in the dining room.

By the time they reached the dining room most of Eden’s family had shed their jackets and ties and untucked their shirts. It made the atmosphere of the room very relaxed and Cade felt the tightness in his chest release when he breathed. 

Eden immediately ordered a large glass of whine, which he gave to Cade. Unlike the bubbly drink he had before, this one was very fruity and didn’t tickle going down. It made his fingers tingle and his body feel light. Eden had at least two glasses of wine and a very small glass of something clear that made him shiver when he swallowed it. It also had the rest of the family joking about Eden partying a lot at school.

They shared more stories while they ate, helping Cade relax further. He knew there would eventually be repercussions from Eden’s parents, but he decided not to worry about it any more tonight. By the end of the night, Eden decided to retreat to his room, taking Cade up a set of stairs behind the kitchen to avoid the partygoers in the main room. 

“Shouldn’t we worry about your parents getting upset because you left the party?” Cade asked when Eden shut and locked the door to his room.

“I don’t care if they get upset or not,” Eden replied, turning to look at him. “They can’t take you from me,” he said; easily ready the look of worry on Cade’s face. “There are laws in place that won’t allow my father to touch you and like I said, I’m not getting rid of you because my parents don’t agree.”

Cade nodded, sliding up to Eden and wrapping his arms around his waist. “Asides from your parents, I really do like the rest of your family.” 

Eden looked down at him, his blue eyes shining and his soft smile back on his face. “I'm glad you do. Come on, let’s get to bed so I can show you just how much I want to keep you.”


	16. Chapter 16

Cade woke the next morning when he felt Eden climb out of bed. He rolled over, giving a small whine as he reached for him. “I’ll be right back, love, I’m just going to get breakfast,” Eden cooed.  
Case smiled and nodded, grabbing Eden’s shirt and refusing to let go until he got a kiss. Eden chuckled and leaned down, pressing their lips together. Cade let his fingers slide away from the fabric and rolled onto his stomach. When he heard the door open and close he kicked the covers down to expose his bare backside. It was the surest way to lure Eden back to bed with him when he returned.

The door to the room opened much sooner then it should have for Eden to return and when Cade rolled over a hand covered his mouth and several more grabbed his legs and arms. He struggled to get away, but the people holding him were much stronger. He felt them drag him down the stairs, holding him tightly so he couldn’t wiggle away.

Cade was shoved roughly into the back of a car and the driver drove off the moment the back door was closed. “What’s going on,” Cade demanded. “Where is Eden?”

“You don’t belong to Eden anymore,” Eden’s father sneered from the front seat. “It’s a disgrace what he’s done. Bringing home a slave and introducing him as his boyfriend. I will not allow it.”  
“You can’t do this,” Cade tried. “Eden said you couldn’t.”

“By the time Eden returns to his room you’ll be long gone and he’ll never find you again.”

“Where are you taking me?” Cade asked as fear began to well up inside him. 

“You are going to the same place all unwanted slaves go to, now shut up,” Tom snapped. Cade pushed himself up and looked out the window. They were driving further into the countryside and Cade watched as farms that raised animals turned into farms that raised slaves.

Cade’s heart stuttered when he realized that Eden’s father was probably taking him to a farm and leaving him there. 

He opened his mouth to tell the man he couldn’t do that when the car swerved onto a dirt road, throwing Cade across the seat. The driver hit the breaks and Tom climbed out of the car. He jerked open the back door and yanked Cade out.

Cade stumbled to keep up with the man, fighting the cold seeping into his naked body and the rocks cutting into his bare feet. Eden’s father dragged him towards a large building, stopping at a table near the entrance. Tom shoved Cade forward and he tumbled into an older man. The man shoved him away, his dark eyes looking him over like he was an animal.

“I want to put this slave in today’s auction,” Tom told the man sitting at the table.

“Papers?” the other man asked, holding out his hand. Cade’s brown eyes widened when he saw Tom pull out Cade’s papers and handed them to the man. After a few quick signatures, Cade was dragged off into a small closed off area.

He was shuffled between people, scrubbed clean with cold water and forced into a pair of shackles and nothing else. He was guided to a holding area where several other slaves stood, waiting for the auction to start. A man grabbed the chain attaching his wrists and clipped him to a long line of slaves. He jerked against the chains, growling the thick rings didn’t break. 

Hundreds of things flew through Cade’s mind, all of them starting with Eden not getting to him in time. His next thought was that when Eden found out, he would realize that Cade wasn’t worth it. He pushed those thoughts away quickly and told himself that Eden’s father was acting on his own and his son had no idea what had happened to Cade. That meant that when Eden returned and found Cade gone, he would start asking questions. Cade was sure Eden’s mother knew what Tom had done and she would obviously tell Eden when he questioned her. That meant Cade just had to wait for Eden to come running in to save him.

Brown eyes scanned the crowd, his heart hammering in his chest as he waited. Any minute now he would see Eden and this would all be over. A spot of doubt formed inside his mind when someone announced that the auction was going to begin and the line of slaves began moving towards the stage. 

Cade took a deep breath, telling himself that Eden had time. He was sure Carrie would avoid giving him information at first and when he did find out, he would have to drive to the farm. It would be a while before he found himself on that stage and he knew Eden would come before then.

The stage continued to get closer and closer with each passing minute and Eden never appeared. The doubt Cade had been feeling had now grown and all he could think about was how Eden had probably discovered that he was already gone and had decided that Cade wasn’t worth getting back. He started thinking about all the other slaves Eden could have. Slaves that wouldn’t be demanding or want love, slaves that would do whatever Eden commanded of them and never question why.

By the time he was dragged on stage, Cade was close to hyperventilating and he couldn’t seem to get his heart beat under control. The blood pulsing in his ears stopped Cade from hearing anything that was said and dark spots had formed in his vision so he couldn’t see what the people in front of him were doing either.

“Sold!” someone yelled, banging a gavel on a stand and causing Cade to jump. This was it, he had been sold and Eden hadn’t come to save him. 

He was jerked off the stage and pulled towards another holding area. It was only a matter of minutes before someone came to retrieve him and he was handed off to a tall, dark haired man.   
Someone was telling the man that Cade was a last minute entry and the man turned to give him a cold smiled. “This must have been my lucky day. It’s not often someone throws away something so innocent looking.”

Cade swallowed hard as he looked up at the man. Nothing about his face was comforting and neither were the calloused hands that roamed over Cade’s body, inspecting him inside and out. His new master gave a curt nod and pulled a collar out of his pocket. He secured it around Cade’s neck, took the papers he was handed and dragged Cade out of the building without another word.  
Cade shivered when the cold hit him again and he had to struggle to keep up with the man’s long strides. He was pushed into the backseat of another car and Cade buried his face in the leather seat to hide his tears. Eden hadn’t come and Cade had himself convinced that he hadn’t wanted to come.

“Stop that damn crying, slave. Fucking pathetic little shit. I don’t want to hear you sniffling the whole ride home,” Cade’s new master growled.

Cade turned his head and wiped his face. He looked at the back of the man’s head, sniffling quietly. The man in the front seat growled a threat at Cade if he didn’t stop sniffling. Cade tried to calm his breathing, but because of the adrenalin flowing through his system and the fear, he couldn’t seem to calm himself down. 

The breaks squealed when the car jerked over to the side of the road and Cade was thrown against the front seat. Before he could right himself, a hand clamped down on his wrists and practically dragged him over the seat.

“Shut the fuck up,” he snarled in Cade’s face. “You are my slave now and I expect you to do what I say immediately.”

“I’m sorry, master,” Cade whispered. “I just can’t stop an involunta-” Cade whimpered when his master’s fingers closed around his throat and squeezed.

“Don’t talk back to me you little fuck. You do what I say and you do it immediately.” He threw Cade backwards and turned back around. “You better keep your damn mouth shut or I’ll beat you when we get home.”

Anger boiled up inside Cade, but he kept quiet and sat back on the seat, curling himself up in a ball. He didn’t know how long the drive was, the only indication that they had arrived was the car stopping. He was yanked out of the car by the collar around his neck and Cade immediately noticed that they were in a small town.

He was dragged the several story building in front of them and pulled into an elevator that quickly ascended to his new master’s desired floor. The doors slid open to reveal a hallway lined with doors on each side. Cade followed obediently down the hall, his eyes glancing up at the numbers on the doors. 

His master stopped at number 523 and pulled out a set of keys. He shoved open the door and pulled Cade into the room. “Welcome to your new home, slave,” his master said. 

A man looking slightly older then Cade hurried down the hall and he quickly helped the master out of his coat, his grey eyes glancing towards Cade. “Slave one, this is slave two,” Cade’s master said, pointing between the two slaves.

“My name is Cade,” Cade hissed. This man reminded him too much of Dennis, but without all the threat. He just seemed like a spoiled brat who liked to knock his slaves around. Cade wasn’t going to have any of that. 

His head snapped to the side when a hand struck him and he stumbled back, his mouth filling with blood.

“I don’t care what your name is, slave,” his master sneered. “God, now I know why your last master got rid of you. Lucky for you, I’m good at breaking defiant slaves. Slave one, show slave two your room and then bring him to my bedroom.”

“Yes, master,” the grey eyed man replied softly. He grabbed Cade’s hand and yanked him towards the hallway. Cade followed along, his eyes looking at the plane white walls. He spotted a bathroom halfway down the hallway and directly across from it was a closed door. At the end of the hall was a tiny room where several blankets were piled in a corner.

“This is our room,” the grey eyed man said, his voice still soft. He took a moment to look Cade over and tilted his head curiously. “What’s your name?”

“Cade,” Cade replied, looking down at the nest of blankets. “What’s yours?”

“Jace,” he replied, his eyes watching Cade move around the room. “That is our bed, which we will be sharing. I also suggest you curb your attitude before the master brings the whip down on you.”

“I don’t belong here,” Cade whispered.

“And you think I do?” Jace asked, his voice still soft even though Cade could hear the annoyance in it. Cade shook his head; he didn’t want to get into it with this man.

“Slaves!” came their master’s shout. “Why aren’t you in my room!”

Jace sighed and grabbed Cade’s hand, pulling him out of the room. “Keep quiet,” he hissed. “If you give him lip, I’ll get punished too.”

Cade clenched his jaw, angered by the fact that this mam would punish either of them for any reason. The closed door in the hallway was now opened and Jace pulled Cade inside. Cade immediately noticed the wooden T in the corner of the room and the blood marking the wall. Cade knew it would be used for punishment and he shivered. 

Next to him, Jace was pulling off his clothes and Cade glanced at his master, his body going cold when he saw the man was lying on the bed, stroking his thick cock. Cade took a step back when his master climbed off the bed, his brown eyes wide. He was going to have to have sex with this man, which meant that if Eden ever did find him, Cade would be too tainted for Eden to ever want him again.

~~~  
Cade winced when Jace ran the wet cloth over his back, mopping up more of the blood. He had only been there for two days and he had found himself strapped to the T in his master’s bedroom three times already. All because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

“I don’t know why you can’t keep quiet,” Jace scolded again. “You had no scars and now you’ll be covered in them.”

“It’s not right that he treats you like this,” Cade replied through gritted teeth. “Besides, he’s a lazy idiot.”

“Just because you’re smarter then him doesn’t mean you can use it against him,” Jace snapped. “I mean, how did you get so smart?”

“My old master,” Cade whispered. “He wanted me to have an education, so he gave me one.”

“Why did he sell you? I haven’t heard you say one bad thing about him.”

“His father took me to the sale,” Cade sighed. “I don’t believe he knew what was going on, but he never came to save me so he must have not wanted me anymore.”

“I don’t believe that,” Jace replied softly, combing his fingers through Cade’s hair. “If he didn’t know, it might take him time to find you again.”

“Or this was just a convenient way to get rid of me,” Cade muttered. He pushed himself up onto his knees, wincing at the pull from the wounds. 

“Cade,” Jace whispered, cupping Cade’s face in his hands. “Don’t give up hope. I know things aren’t going well now, but I know they’ll get better. You just have to shut that smart mouth of yours.”  
Cade rolled his eyes and huffed at the other slave. Jace chuckled softly and leaned forward, pressing their lips together. They shared in a long, slow kiss, Cade pulling away when it stated feeling all too much like what Eden used to do to him. Jace huffed out a breath and kissed Cade’s cheek, moving away and standing up. Cade watched him leave the room, sighing at the guilt he started to feel. 

Jace was a very touchy feely man and he enjoyed stealing kisses from Cade. Cade had determined that it was because Jace didn’t get that kind of care from his master, so he looked for it in Cade. Cade tried to give him as much as he possibly could, but when it started reminding him of Eden, the hurt it brought on forced him to pull away. It left Jace disappointed, but determined for more.  
Jace returned to the room with several bandaged and helped cover Cade’s wounds. “Can you promise me to behave for at least a few days, just so your wounds will heal?” Jace pleaded.

“I’ll try, but I’m not going to sit here and take that abuse and I won’t let him do it to you either.”

“I’ve been living with our master for a long time, Cade, I’m used to the abuse,” Jace replied. 

“Well you shouldn’t be,” Cade growled. Though every day spent with his new master terrified him, he had also found strength in the beatings. Eden had taught him to stand up for himself and that was what he was doing. No one deserved to be slapped around like they were. 

“Rest, Cade,” Jace said softly, making it clear that he didn’t want to hear anymore about their master’s abuse. “Master will he home in a few hours and I’m sure he’ll want us in his bed later.”  
Cade huffed, but laid down, rolling himself onto his stomach. He slept on and off, his back hurting along with his mouth. When his master had learned that he had no idea how to suck a cock, he had forced him into some sort of restraint that forced his mouth open and shoved his cock down Cade’s throat until he didn’t choke when he swallowed, then he forced Cade on his knees every chance he had. 

Along with that, his ass was sore and he was finally realizing why Eden cursed a lot when he was upset. Cursing made him feel better. I pissed off Jace, but Cade liked seeing the man in a tizzy, it was much different then the soft-spoken slave who took his master’s punishment and thanked him for it once he was done. 

Cade jerked when he heard the door to the apartment open, scowling when their master yelled for him. He pushed himself off the floor, taking his time walking down the hall and into the living room. His master was standing over Jace, one hand fisted in his light brown hair. Cade could see that Jace was in pain even though his face was blank.

“Slave two,” their master growled, pointing to the floor in front of him. Cade sauntered over to him and kneeled on the floor. He looked defiantly up at the man, taking pleasure in the frustration that ran through his hazel eyes. “You better wipe that smirk off your face before I beat you again,” the master warned.

Cade glanced over at Jace and forced away the smirk when he saw the warning in the slave’s grey eye. Their master snorted and he hauled Jace off the floor by his hair. Jace gave a small grunt of pain, but kept quiet as he was held dangling in the air.

“Slave two, get undressed,” their master commanded. Cade frowned, taking off his shirt and undoing his jeans. He kneeled again when he was naked, watching Jace out of the corner of his eyes. “Good boy,” their master said, setting Jace on his feet. Jace didn’t even need to be commanded, he merely stripped off his clothes and dropped to his knees next to Cade.   
Their master looked between them for a moment before motioning for them to get to their feet. Jace’s hand slid into Cade’s as they followed their master towards the couch. Their master flopped onto the couch, the springs protesting. Cade and Jace stood in front of their master and Cade’s heart began beating faster. Something was different and Cade was worried his master was going to force them to do something that would hurt both him and Jace. 

“You ever fucked someone before, slave two?” their master asked.

“No, master,” Cade replied, feeling Jace’s fingers tighten in his.

“Slave one is fun to fuck, maybe I’ll have him teach you. Would you like that?”

Cade wanted to say no, but an opportunity presented itself and he stopped his immediate response. He could be gentle with Jace, show him what it felt like to be loved. So he nodded instead and his master smirked.

“Then I’ll make a deal with you,” he said and Cade’s blood ran cold. “You start behaving, do everything I ask you to do and I’ll let you and slave one fool around together when I’m not here. If you don’t, I’ll take your punishment out on him,” he pointed to Jace, who shivered. 

Cade’s jaw clenched, he had just put Jace in a horrible position all because he wanted to protect him. He could still keep Jace safe; all he had to do was behave. He clenched his fist and forced down the first reply that came to mind, nodding instead. “Yes, master.”

“Good,” his master hissed, reaching down to tug at his belt, “now come here and suck my cock like a good slave.”

Cade’s fingers slid out of Jace’s as he stepped forward and dropped to his knees, sliding between his master’s legs. He reached up and slid the zipper down on his master’s jeans, waiting until the man wiggled them low enough to free his cock. He wasn’t even hard yet, which meant more work for Cade.

He got to it without a word, thinking about Jace and how this kept both of them safe from the whip… 

They wound up in their master’s bed hours later, used and left to catch their breaths while their master showered so he could go out. Cade’s hand found Jace’s and he clung to the man. Jace laid quietly on his back, his grey eyes blank as they stared unseeing up at the ceiling. It was a look Cade had seen a lot since he had arrived. He was sure it was Jace’s way of coping, but it hurt to see. Jace didn’t deserve this man as his master, no one did. 

Cade scooted closer, setting his free hand on Jace’s stomach and his head on his shoulder. Jace was sticky everywhere, but then again, so was he. Apparently what his master lacked in brains, he made up for in sexual drive. Cade was pretty sure a normal man couldn’t go at it four times in a row, he certainly couldn’t.

“You agreed to behave,” Jace whispered when his breathing finally slowed. “Why?”

“Because I didn’t want him to punish you,” Cade explained. “And because you deserve to enjoy yourself and I want to give that to you.”

“What about Eden?” he asked.

Cade stiffened and shifted uncomfortably. What about Eden? Was he still looking for him, or had he really taken the out? Cade shook his head and scooted closer to Jace. “I’ve already been tainted, so even if he did come for me, there is nothing for him anymore,’ Cade whispered. “Don’t worry about Eden, let me worry about you.” Jace nodded, rolling onto his side and curling against Cade’s chest. 

“Let’s go slaves, get up and clean this room,” their master growled when he came back into the room. Jace was up, stripping the sheets off the bed before Cade could even move. Cade sighed and rolled off the bed, moving towards the linen closet to get more sheets. 

Their master was long gone when they finished and they both took their time in the shower, washing each other and making sure there were no traces of what they had done left on them. Jace bandaged Cade’s back once they were finished and went off to make dinner.

Unlike their master, Cade and Jace’s meals consisted of some nasty gruel that came out of a bag. Cade was pretty sure it was something normally fed to cows and it tasted horrible. He choked it down anyway, knowing that it was all he was going to get. 

“Do you have anymore stories?” Jace asked when they nestled together on the couch. Cade smiled, pulling the man towards him and placed Jace’s head on his chest. He had learned after the first day that Jace enjoyed fairy tales. His previous master had a daughter that used to read them to him and when he learned that Cade had read them himself, he begged him to recite them.  
“How about the story of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp?” he asked, smiling when Jace nodded against his chest. He took a deep breath and started the story, sliding his fingers through Jace’s hair.   
He didn’t get far before he felt Jace fall asleep against him. Though Jace hid it well, Cade could see the exhaustion on Jace’s face. Cade slid lower on the couch and wrapped his arms around Jace’s shoulders, letting his own eyes slide closed.


	17. Chapter 17

Cade drew in a soft breath when he felt Jace join him in their nest of blankets and whatever else Jace used to make the thing comfy. He rolled over onto his back and looked at the man. He looked upset about something and Cade immediately reached for him.

“Did you take care of our master this morning by yourself?” he asked when Jace leaned towards him.

“He only wanted me this morning,” Jace replied quietly. He laid down next to Cade and wrapped himself around him. 

“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” Cade murmured, sliding his hand down Jace’s back the same way Eden used to do when he was nervous.

Jace shifted and pushed up onto his hands. He looked down at Cade, his expression guarded. “I’ve been with our master for the last five years, Cade. For him, that’s a long time. He gets bored easily, as you’ve seen and he goes through slaves like he does clothes.”

“So you’re saying he’s getting bored of you?” Cad asked, fear welling up inside him.

Jace nodded, “he’s going to sell me after the holidays. He’ll keep you because he wants to break you and he’ll find someone else to take my place. He was going to put me in next week’s auction, but with Christmas coming up and since you’re never on your best behavior, he’s keeping me to keep you in line.”

“And he thinks I’ll behave if he sells you?” Cade demanded. “You’ll be going to who knows where and he thinks I won’t care.”

“You’ve only known me for three weeks, Cade, it’s not enough time to get attached,” Jace replied.

“Like hell,” Cade growled, receiving a frown from Jace. “You’re my friend, Jace, and you’re very important to me. I can’t stand thinking about who will buy you. They could be worse then our master.”

“Or they could be very nice, like Eden,” Jace tried.

“I have a feeling that there is a slim chance you’ll get someone like Eden,” Cade muttered, frustrated that mentioning his old master’s name still sent a shot of pain through his chest.  
“I can handle myself, Cade,” Jace replied softly.

Cade just shook his head and laid back down. He pulled Jace to him and Jace slid between his legs, pressing their bodies together. Cade made a sound of approval and shifted his hips. His lips quirked at the sudden gasp from Jace and he did it again.

Cade knew what their master had done to Jace that morning and since the man had given them permission to fool around while he was gone, Cade tried everyday to give the other slave a taste of the pleasure he used to feel when he was with Eden. 

Jace gave a small whine and buried his face in Cade’s neck. For the amount of sex Jace had with his master, he was always so shy when Cade did this to him. After their second time together, Jace had admitted that their master had never given them this kind of freedom before, so this was all very new to him. 

Jace had been a virgin when their master had purchased him and like teaching Cade to give head, the man was far from gentle when he forced Jace into his bed for the first time. Cade rolled his hips again, moaning softly when he felt Jace’s cock wake. Jace muttered something against Cade’s skin and he curled his fingers around his arms. Cade’s fingers slid to Jace’s hips and he pulled him closer, drawing out a moan from Jace when their cocks slid together. 

Jace gasped again, his hips making the slightest of movements. Cade always had to coax Jace into joining him. He had spent so long being an emotionless toy for their master that learning to enjoy pleasure was going to take some time.

Cade used everything Eden had taught him about pleasure to help Jace and he felt pride knowing that each little moan and whimper he got from the slave was his doing. Jace pulled his face away from Cade’s neck; his grey eyes glazed with pleasure instead of the blank stare Cade usually saw when they were in bed with their master. He whimpered softly, biting his lower lip when he shivered. Cade slid a hand over Jace’s cheek and pulled him down for a kiss.

“Cade,” Jace whispered against his lips, their hips sliding faster. Cade breathed out a moan, sliding his hand between them and grasping both their cocks in his hand. He stroked them for several seconds, feeling Jace’s body tense.

Since Jace hardly ever came when he was with his master, his orgasms came fast, leaving Cade racing to catch up. Cade didn’t mind, but he still felt empty afterwards. Eden had always taken his time when they were together and no matter how hard Cade tried, he couldn’t prolong Jace’s pleasure.

Jace gave a harsh cry, his come spilling over Cade’s fingers and dripping onto his stomach. Cade continued his strokes until he came himself, mixing his own come with Jace’s on his stomach.  
Jace hovered over him, his body trembling and his chest heaving. Cade could see the apology bubbling up in inside the other slave and quickly cut him off with a kiss. Jace knew it should take longer then a minute, but he couldn’t seem to control his body.

Jace sighed when he Cade pulled back and he pushed himself onto his knees. He got to his feet and helped Cade up, heading towards the bathroom so they could shower and start on the apartment. They cleaned the house and did the laundry, spent several minutes cuddling on the couch while Cade told another one of his favorite fairytales and then got themselves ready to greet their master. 

The man was a ball of rage when he returned home and attacked the first person to come in contact with, which happened to be Jace. Cade was horrified when their master grabbed Jace by the hair and flung him against the nearest wall. Jace’s head bounced off the wall, sending him crashing to the floor. 

Cade immediately got to his feet, drawing his master’s attention to him. In the few weeks he had been there he had never seen his master so malicious. Yes, he had punished Cade when he became defiant, even slapped Jace around because he could, but he never wore the look he had right now. The look that said his master would beat his slaves within an inch of their life and keep going if he couldn’t stop himself.

He lunged for Cade, wrapping his fingers around his neck and slamming him to the floor. Cade gasped, his fingers clawing at the hand gripped like a vice around his neck. A low growl emitted from is master’s mouth; his hazel eyes so dark they looked like hollow pools of nothing.  
“My parents think they can cut me off,” he sneered. “I’ll show them what I think of that.”  
“Master,” Cade gasped, feeling lightheaded from lack of oxygen. “I don’t understand.”  
His master growled, lifting Cade off the floor by his neck and slamming him back onto the ground. The last of his air left Cade’s body and he flailed to get the man off him. He could hear Jace speaking frantically, but he couldn’t hear a thing he was saying. His own panic was starting to rise and he felt the all to familiar feel of a panic attack coming on. If he didn’t get out of this man’s grip soon, he was going to pass out and then who knew what would happen.  
His master moved, loosening his fingers enough for Cade to gulp down air. He forced his eyes open, whimpering when his master grabbed Jace’s ankle and jerked him to the floor. The first hit to Jace’s face sent anger boiling through Cade. This man was attacking them because of something his parents had said?  
How he managed to pry his master’s hand from his neck, he didn’t know, but he was suddenly on his feet and slamming into his master’s side. They crashed to the floor and a rough hand immediately locked onto his neck. He was slammed back onto the floor and immediately lifted up again. His master dragged him, flailing, into the bedroom and threw him towards the wooden T in the corner of the room.  
His arms were dragged up and he was buckled to the scarred wood. He hadn’t been in this position since he had first arrived and it sent a fresh wave of panic through him. He turned his head to see his master round on Jace. The slave was trembling uncontrollably and there was a look in his eyes that told Cade this wasn’t the first time their master had done this and Jace’s punishment wasn’t going to be gentle, it wasn’t even going to be agonizing. The pure fear that showed in both Jace’s grey eyes and his usually composed face told Cade that their master was going reach into Jace’s chest and cut a piece of his soul out of him.  
Cade tried to get the man’s attention back to him. Begging to take the punishment for both him and Jace, but his master wouldn't hear it. The panic that Cade had been fighting to tamp down was also winning and his breath became harder and harder to catch until he could no longer keep consciousness.  
~~~  
Cade woke to the sound of broken whimpers behind him. His back was on fire and his legs had been painfully spread by roped tied around his thighs. He tired to shift, wincing at the horrible pain that seemed to be coming from his entire body. Obviously his master had taken what was his while Cade was unconscious. His wrists felt raw and when he moved, blood trickled down his arm. Though everything still hurt, Cade was grateful that he had been unconscious for whatever his master had done to him.  
His mind went to Jace and he forced himself to turn his head. The man was curled up on the bed, marks covering his arms and face, His grey eyes were blank, but Cade could see the pain in them. He wanted to get out of his bindings and go to the man, but he didn’t have enough strength to fight.  
He tried to listen to hear if his master was still in the room, turning his head to see more of the room. When he was sure they were alone, Cade whispered Jace’s name. The man merely whimpered again and curled closer to himself. Cade called to him louder this time, freezing when he heard footsteps in the hall. The door to his master’s room opened and the man walked him, his eyes landing on Cade.  
He didn’t look sorry or regretful as he moved towards Cade. He just jerked the bonds holding him and let him drop to the floor. “Get up,” his master growled. “Get yourself and the other one cleaned up and then clean this fucking mess. Fucking disgraces the both of you.”  
If Cade had the strength, he would have made a retort, but his body hurt enough and he couldn’t find his voice. Cade forced himself off the floor and went to Jace. The man flinched away from him when he touched his arm. Cade whispered soothing words to him, sliding his hand gently over Jace’s shoulder. Jace was covered in whip marks and other wounds that looked like they had come from a knife.  
He managed to get Jace off the bed, his own body protesting at the added weight wen Jace leaned on him. He managed to get them both into the bathroom and into the shower. He set Jace on the floor of the tub, letting the water flow over their skin and run pink down the drain.  
“Jace,” Cade whispered, gently touching his bruised cheek. Jace groaned and opened his grey eyes. Unlike all the other times Jace wore that blank stare, Cade couldn’t get him to snap out of the corner of his mind Jace had fled to.  
Cade eventually gave up and began washing Jace’s body. He was beaten, bruised and whipped all over, but the state of his backside was the most horrifying. There were wounds he couldn’t recognize and though Cade had never experienced it himself, it looked at if Jace’s body had been forced to take something much too large.  
Cade cleaned himself, checking the state of his own body to find it stretched more then he wanted it to be also. He pushed away all thoughts of what had happened in that time and focused on getting himself cleaned and out of the shower.  
Once Jace was dried and his wounds bandaged, Cade left him on their pile of blankets to rest and went to clean his master’s room. The smell of blood made him nauseous, but he pushed through it, telling himself that he could join Jace once he was done.  
He had just finished making the bed when his master returned with something in a small paper bag. He threw it at Cade, telling him that Jace would know what to do with it when he woke. He also told Cade that he was going out and both his slaves had better be up when he returned because they needed to start preparing. Preparing for what, Cade didn’t know and he didn’t care either.  
He went back to the room he shared with Jace, dropped the paper bag on the floor and crawled in next to the man. Jace whimpered pitifully when Cade pressed against his back. Cade just shushed him and slid an arm around Jace’s waist. He cuddled as close to the other slave as he could without hurting either of them and let his eyes slide closed.  
~~~  
Jace was up when he woke, rummaging through the bag their master had thrown at Cade. His eyes were clearer and he seemed to be coming back to himself. His head jerked when Cade sat up, but he relaxed when there was no threat.  
“How are you feeling?” he whispered, pulling something out of the bag.  
“I should be asking you that,” Cade replied softly. “I passed out, you didn’t.”  
“I passed out, Cade, believe me I did,” Jace nodded, pulling apart the plastic he was holding. “Was he rough on you?” Cade knew what he was asking and he slowly nodded. “This will help with the pain and the stretching.”  
Jace held up a tube of clear gel. He crawled over to Cade, coating a finger with the gel. Jace was gentle when he slipped his finger into Cade’s body, coating the abused skin with the gel. The pain immediately began to ebb and Cade relaxed.  
Jace offered Cade the tube and Cade did the same thing to Jace. Jace’s body felt worse then his and he winced at the guilt that bloomed in his chest. Jace turned when he was finished and pulled Cade towards him, kissing him softly.  
“Don’t blame yourself for what happened,” Jace whispered. “Our master’s parents are always giving him a hard time because he refuses to work and goes out and spends their money on things he doesn’t need. They threaten to take something away from him, or cut him off from their money and he comes home in a rage and takes it out on us.”  
“How many times has he done this before?” Cade whispered, gently wrapping his arms around Jace’s neck.  
“Couple times a year since I’ve been with him,” Jace replied. “It’s not always this bad.”  
“That’s not reassuring,” Cade snorted. He let out a slow sigh and frowned. “Are you going to be alright?” he asked softly.  
“I’ve pulled myself up before, I can do it again.”  
Cade nodded, but he also knew there were only so many times you could get back up before you didn't have the strength to do it again. He had seen it with the slaves that were returned to his first master after they had served their purpose. He wasn’t going to let that happen to Jace.  
“Our master said we needed to be up when he returned home,” Cade whispered.  
“We are going home with him for Christmas. He is probably going to pull out the dishes so I can teach you how to serve the family. All the family slaves must help with the holiday and I can promise you that it’s not going to be fun for either of us.”  
Cade huffed; nothing about their time with their master was fun for either of them. “What am I supposed to be learning?”  
“How to set a table, serve food properly and how to stay calm while you’re being groped by our master’s family.”  
“Wonderful,” Cade replied flatly.  
“On the plus side, after Christmas we get to spend a week in Miami for the New Year. Our master will hardly be around and we can lounge on the deck attached to our room.” Cade was surprised when Jace suddenly brightened. Apparently this was a nice getaway for Jace as well as their master. Jace’s sudden excitement forced Cade not to bring up the fact that once they returned home, Jace would be sent off to sale.  
“Well,” Cade said softly, lifting a hand to gently stroke Jace’s cheek, “that sounds nice.”


	18. Chapter 18

Cade dozed quietly in the backseat of their master’s car, his fingers buried in Jace’s dark hair. Jace shifted and leaned into Cade’s fingers and he rubbed his cheek against Cade’s thigh, sighing softly. 

They had been traveling for hours and from what it sounded when his master spoke to his parents, they still had a few more hours to go. The drive was thankfully quiet, their master hardly speaking to them as he drove. 

It was well past dark by the time they pulled into a large driveway and Cade gently shook Jace awake. Their master put the car in park and turned to look at the both of them. “You two better fucking behave or I’m going to beat you worse then I did the other day, you understand?”

Cade and Jace nodded, both scrambling to get out of the car before their master could. They unpacked the car and carried the bags into the house and into the bedroom their master pointed them to. Their master had left them to unpack, instructing them to find him downstairs when they were finished.

“Cade,” Jace whispered, forcing Cade to look at him. “Our master’s family is just as bad as he is. I know you want to protect me, but please keep yourself out of trouble.”

“I will,” Cade whispered, “but I want you to keep yourself safe. Don’t let them bully you.”

“I won’t.” Jace gave him a small smile. They both knew it was a lie. Jace had taken his master’s abuse for years now and it was all he knew. 

They made their way downstairs towards the living room where Jace pulled Cade towards the far wall where other men and women stood quietly. Jace had been preparing him for this and he quietly took his place on the wall, his hands tucked behind his back.

“Is this your new slave?” a woman asked, cupping Cade’s chin in her hand and forcing him to look up at her.

“That’s him,” his master replied gruffly. “He’s been an interesting study.”

“We haven’t seen any videos of him,” a man commented, looking over the woman’s shoulder. They all shared similar looks to his master; Cade just couldn’t tell if they were siblings or something else.

“I have a few if you’d like to see them.” Cade’s master gave his family a gleeful smile that made nerves bundle in Cade’s stomach.

When the woman released his face, he glanced at Jace. The man’s eyes were downcast and he looked ashamed about whatever his master was talking about. 

Their master disappeared upstairs for a minute, returning with his laptop and a wire that he plugged into the television. The computer screen came up on the television and his master clicked on a video.

Cade gasped when he saw their room clear on the screen. It was the first time he and Jace had tired something together after their master had given them permission. His head snapped to the side and he looked angrily at Jace’s guilty expression. He knew and he didn’t say anything?

Jace glanced at him and mouthed an apology while the family commented on the performance. Cade let his own eyes drop to the floor; he couldn’t watch his intimate moments with Jace while they were projected for other people’s enjoyment.

After an hour of watching video after video the family decided to head off to bed, leaving their slaves standing alone in the living room. As one, the group moved away from the wall and headed towards another part of the house. Cade moved to follow, but a hand around his wrist stopped him.

“I’m sorry, Cade,” Jace whispered.

“Why didn’t you say something,” Cade hissed. “How could you let him tape us like that?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Jace replied, his voice wavering. “He usually makes us watch the next day and I assumed he wasn’t taping us when he didn’t.”

“Did you stop to think that maybe I would put my foot down if he showed me the video?” Cade growled. He shook off Jace’s hold and stormed off after the other slaves.

Seconds later he heard Jace following behind him, sniffling softly. Cade knew Jace was just as troubled about the videos as he was and he knew he was just doing what his master commanded, but that still didn’t stop it from hurting. Cade was tired of being betrayed and he was very tired of being exploited for his master’s pleasure.

~~~  
The next morning was tense between Cade and Jace, but luckily there was enough to keep them busy so they didn’t have to talk, or even be in the same room together.   
The family spent the holiday, as Cade assumed, the same way every other family in the world spend Christmas. The morning started with the younger family members rushing downstairs to find the over decorated tree in the center of the living room surrounded with presents. They proceeded to loudly wake the rest of the house, including the slaves. Everyone was forced into the living room were gifts were handed out and people hastily ripped open the paper.

None of the slaves received a gift, their only job was to clean the mess and hand out cups of coffee. A large breakfast was next and then the family scattered to their rooms to shower and get dressed. There were still several presents under the tree and Cade assumed they were for the family members that would be arriving that afternoon. 

“Cade,” Jace said softly as he stepped close to him. They were both in the cramped slaves quarters in the basement of the house trying to wash and dress so they could get upstairs and prepare the house before the guests arrived. Cade glanced at his fellow slave while he scrubbed his arm with a horrible smelling soap.

Jace still looked ashamed for what had happened and he stood looking at Cade quietly, wringing his hands. The sight sent a pang of sadness through Cade. He had spent most of the night unable to sleep as he had laid on the floor thinking about Jace. He had done exactly what his master had wanted and Cade truly believed that Jace had hoped the man hadn’t taped them.

When Jace didn’t continue, Cade dropped his cloth into the murky water of the tub he sat beside and reached for Jace. Jace immediately slid into his arms and buried his face in Cade’s neck. Cade sighed softly, all his anger drained away when he felt Jace’s shoulder’s shake. 

“It’s alright, Jace, I’m not upset with you,” Cade whispered, stroking Jace’s hair.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Jace whispered, pulling back so he could look into Cade’s brown eyes. “I really did think he wasn’t taping us and I never wanted to hurt you.”

Cade cut him off with a kiss and slid his fingers through Jace’s hair. “I know you don’t want to hurt me and I understand why you didn’t tell me. I’m just tired of all this and I want to go home and I want to take you with me so you never have to deal with that terrible man again.”

“Hey,” someone snapped at him. It was one of the taller slaves, his green eyes glaring at them. “No talking about your master like that unless you want to get punished. Now finish washing and get out.”

Cade huffed, but reached for the cloth and the bar of soap. He cleaned himself as best he could, letting Jace wash his back and then doing the same for him. They stepped out of the small washroom and into the dressing room where each slave was putting on the same outfit, a pair of black slacks and a white shirt. 

The clothes were too big for any of them, so they had to come up with creative ways to get them to fit. Jace had just tied the back of Cade shirt and tucked it into the back of his pants when he stepped around Cade, took his face in his hands and kissed him.

They shared the kiss a moment longer before the slave from before tugged them apart and scolded them for behaving inappropriately. Jace didn’t look as guilty as he normally did when someone yelled at him for kissing Cade and Cade swore he saw a glint of defiance in the other slave’s eyes, proving it was there when he darted forward and stole one last kiss from Cade before scurrying away. Cade smiled at Jace, loving how relaxed he was becoming around him.

Around two o’clock the rest of the family started arriving, exchanging more gifts and leaving more of a mess for the slaves to clean up. Cade had been given a bottle of red wine and was instructed to fill wine glasses for the family. After an hour, Cade had figured out whose glass to refill before it was empty and which guests shouldn’t be allowed to drink, no matter how much they whined. 

He had just emptied a third bottle of whine and was heading back to the kitchen for another when a hand grabbed him and shoved him against the wall. He dropped the bottle of wine and it rolled back into the room he had just come from.

“So, I see my cousin was the one who bought you,” Dennis sneered, his fingers clamping over Cade’s neck. Cade felt his body go cold at the sight of the man. Of course a man so cruel as his master would be related to Dennis. “I see he’s been leaving marks on you, too bad he hasn’t broken the defiance that’s rolling off you like a stink.”

“It won’t matter what he does, Eden will find me,” Cade growled. He might not still believe that, but he wasn’t going to let Dennis see the insecurity in his eyes. 

“Eden has moved on,” Dennis hissed. “He’s gotten over you. Besides, what with all these scars, he’s not going to want you anyway. He only wanted you for your smooth skin and innocent look and now that your skin had been scarred, he’ll never want to look at you again.”

“That’s not true.” Cade gasped when Dennis’s fingers tightened around his neck. “He loves me.”

“He never loved you. You’re a slave, his slave. How do you think he was going to control you? Eden gets into your mind; he uses you, makes you fall in love with him and then throws you away. His parents did exactly what he wanted. He’s done with you, slave, and you’re never going to see him again. You’ll live with my cousin until he breaks you and then when he’s done with you, he’ll ship you off to sale where those scars will drop your price. You’ll slide down the rungs until you’re sitting in the filth and then do you know what they’ll do to you?” Dennis hissed, giving Cade a maniac smile.

“They’ll tie you up, stick a needle in your neck and make you feel like you’re floating while you’re forced to watch men spread your legs and fuck you raw. They won’t feed you, no. The only sustenance you’ll get is a cock in your mouth. You’ll waste away and die with a man fucking you and then they’ll throw you into a shallow grave and you’ll never be remembered again.”

Cad shook his head, fighting against the hand holding him. He refused to believe it. Eden was still looking and he would never have to go back to sale again. He fought harder when Dennis’s hand tightened again, making it impossible for him to breath.

“What’s going on?” Both Dennis and Cade looked over to see Cade’s master standing in the hall, the empty wine bottle in his hand. The man looked concerned as he glanced between the two. Dennis’s fingers loosened from around Cade’s neck and he dragged in a deep breath. “Is my slave causing trouble?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Dennis replied, his voice deep and menacing. “You’re slave seems to have a problem following orders, would you like me to take care of him for you?”

“No,” Cade’s master shook his head, his eyes still darting between his cousin and his slave. Cade swore he saw a flash of fear in his eyes. “I’ll take care of it.” 

His master reached for Cade and grasped his arm. Dennis released him and Cade was immediately pulled behind his master. Dennis scowled as he stared at his cousin. Both men stared at each other for several seconds before Dennis nodded and turned away. When he was out of sight, Cade’s master spun around to look at him.

“You keep close to me, understand?” Cade forced back his surprise and nodded. “You see Dennis again, you move out of sight. I don’t want him touching you.”

“Yes, master,” Cade replied quietly, his voice hoarse. Apparently Dennis’s own family didn’t like how he treated slaves. His master handed him back the wine bottle, checked Cade’s neck and allowed Cade to slip into the kitchen to replace the wine. His master was still waiting for him when he stepped back into the hallway and he silently followed him back to the large family gathered in the dining room.

Cade kept his distance from Dennis, only moving close to refill someone’s glass. His master would watch him as he moved, which made Cade wonder if the man actually did have a heart, or if he just didn’t want his plaything ruined by his cousin.

“I still can’t believe you still have him,” someone said and Cade caught a glance of someone grabbing Jace’s ass. “Don’t you usually get rid of them by now?”

“I didn’t want to train a new slave before the holiday,” his master replied, jabbing a finger at Cade. “One problem slave is enough.”

“I’m glad,” an older man stated, reaching for Jace. His hand slid down the back of Jace’s trousers and Cade could see exactly what the man’s fingers were doing.

Jace stood perfectly still, the only indication that he was uncomfortable were his eyes sliding closed. Anger flared in Cade and he pushed it back, reminding himself that he needed to behave. Though he hated what they were doing, he didn’t want his outburst to get Jace punished. 

“I know you liked him last time,” Cade’s master replied, you can have him again. It’ll be the last time you see him before I send him to sale.”

“Good,” the man purred, grabbing Jace’s ass and squeezing hard.

A smack to Cade’s back forced him to look at the table, his wounds stinging from the slap. A woman glared angrily at him as she shook her empty wineglass at him. He stepped forward and filled the glass, scurrying around the table to fill another. He managed to keep his composure for the rest of the dinner, fighting with himself not to react every time someone touched him inappropriately. It wasn’t until after the meal was finished that he could no longer hold himself back. 

The man who had shoved his hand down Jace’s pants had dragged him off to another room and two other family members followed. Cade forced himself to ignore the warning in his head while he cleaned off the table, but the first sharp cry from Jace had him storming down the hall, ignoring the other slave’s calls. He shoved open the door to the room, his brown eyes widening at the horrific sight before him.   
“Stop it,” he cried, rushing forward and shoving one man away from Jace. The man tried to keep upright, but the momentum along with his pants being around his ankles made him topple over.

“What the fuck,” the other man growled, his brown hair falling into his face.

Cade turned to look at him, his fists clenching. “Let him go,” he hissed.

The hand that had been roughly forcing its way into Jace pulled back, making the slave whimper in pain. Jace’s grey eyes stared at Cade, pleading with him to go.

“You think you can tell me what to do, slave?” the brown haired man growled. “You’ve got a fucking death wish coming in here and throwing out commands.”

“Don’t you dare touch him,” Cade growled.

The man glanced at Jace and then back at Cade, a smirk growing on his face. Before anyone could react, the man’s hand shot out and his knuckles struck Jace across the face. Jace crashed to the floor and he curled up on himself.

Anger flared through Cade and before he knew what he was doing, his own knuckles were colliding with the man’s jaw. Pain exploded in his hand and he doubled over as the man fell to his knees. 

“You little shit,” the man cried. “You fucking broke my nose.”

“I told you not to touch him,” Cade gasped, holding his hand to his chest.

The other man had gotten to his feet and he was making his way towards Cade. The door to the room opened suddenly and Cade’s master stepped in, his hazel eyes landing on Cade. He didn’t say anything, merely jerked Jace off the ground, grabbed Cade’s uninjured hand and pulled them out of the room. 

“I swear to god if I could sell you sooner,” the man mumbled as he headed up the stairs. Instead of turning towards the room their master was staying in, they headed towards the opposite end of the hallway. “I was hoping I didn’t have to do this while I was here, especially since Dennis is so keen on seeing you get punished.

The room they entered looked like something you would find in a nightmare and Cade began to wish they were back home and the T was the only thing his master could strap him to. Here, there were a myriad of things that looked even worse. If felt even worse then the normal whipping Cade got, making him scream and beg his master to stop every time the whip bit into his skin.

Cade sagged against his restraints, feeling his master behind him. He was speaking to Jace about what had happened and to Cade’s surprise, his master warned Jace not to let anyone near him for the rest of the time they were visiting. He also told them that they would be leaving after breakfast tomorrow and that they would be spending the night in their master’s room. 

Cade cried when his master carried him to the bedroom, his hand and back nearly burning from the pain. His master surprised him again by cleaning and bandaging Cade’s wounds and placing ice on Cade’s hand.

“You’re fucking stupid,” his master growled to him while he was wrapping Cade’s hand. “I would have hoped that by now I’d have beaten some sense into you. We’re leaving in two days for the Caribbean and you better be on your best behavior. For now, get some fucking sleep and don’t say a damn word until were in the car driving back home.”

“Yes, master,” Cade whimpered. He moved to crawl off the bed when his master grabbed his arm and dragged him back. He helped Cade onto his stomach and order Jace to lie beside him. Their master laid on the other side of Jace and he grunted a quick goodnight before turning off the light. It only took a few moments before their master drifted to sleep.

“Thank you, Cade,” Jace whispered, scooting forward and gently kissing his lips. “I know what he was going to do and they restrained me when I started fighting.”

“I’d never let anyone do something like that to you,” Cade replied, sliding his arm over Jace’s stomach. He lifted his head to look at their master. “Why is he being nice?”

“He’s always like this when he’s around his family. I’ve seen what they do to their slaves and I don’t think he approves of just how far they go. I don’t know why, but he gets a little protective of us while we’re here.”

“His cousin, Dennis, he lives with my master,” Cade started. He drew in a shaky breath when he remembered the man’s words. “He told me Eden didn’t care I was gone. He said Eden’s parents did exactly what he wanted.”

“Shh,” Jace soothed, pausing when their master rolled over in his sleep. “He was just saying that to make you doubt yourself and Eden.” He gently stroked Cade’s hair and kissed him softly. “Get some sleep, we have a long drive in the morning and those wounds are going to hurt.”

Cade nodded, curling himself up against Jace’s chest and falling into a restless sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Cade clutched his boarding pass in his hands, his eyes darting back and forth while people bustles around him, unaware of his growing panic or his sudden need to throw up. He jumped when a flight was called and glanced around to make sure it wasn’t his. 

A hand landed on his thigh, squeezing gently while Jace nuzzled his cheek. “Breathe, Cade, you’re going to be alright.”

“Are you sure about that?” Cade whispered, his voice shaking just as badly as he was. “We’re going to be really high up in the air. I remember Calvin telling me it was thousands of feet up. What if something goes wrong, what if we crash?”

“We’re not going to crash,” Jace replied gently. “These people have been trained to fly the plane and they aren’t going to let us crash.”

“What if it’s the plane itself?” Cade knew he was getting hysterical, but he hadn’t known they would be flying until that morning. This was the first time he would be on a plane and he couldn’t stop his mind from immediately going to the worst. 

“They check the plane to make sure nothing goes wrong,” Jace assured, taking Cade’s hand. He had to be gentle since Cade’s right hand was bandaged from when he hit one of his master’s relatives. 

His master had been forced to drag Cade to the doctors the next morning, where they performed x-rays and several other tests. Luckily his hand wasn’t broken, just badly bruised and his knuckles cut. His back had been checked too and his master was forbidden to use the whip until Cade’s back was fully healed. 

“I still don’t believe you,” Cade replied, his breath becoming harder to catch.

“Well you won’t have to worry if you pass out,” Jace teased, cupping Cade’s face in his hand.

Cade opened his mouth to snap at Jace when their lips met. Cade stilled, his body loosing its tension as they kissed. Jace gave a small moan of approval and slid his tongue over Cade’s lower lip. Cade immediately opened his mouth and dragged in a deep breath through his nose.

“You told me the last time you had a panic attack that you had learned that kissing helps calm someone because it forces them to hold their breath.” Jace kissed him again and pulled back. “Do you feel better?”

Cade drew in a deep breath and nodded. His heart was still thundering in his chest, but he felt himself start to relax a little. “Thanks,” he breathed.

Someone approached them, stating their flight was boarding and motioned for them to follow. Jace slipped to Cade’s other side and laced their fingers together while they walked.  
Their master had passed them off to an attendant once they had received their passes and the two had been led to a room filled with slaves waiting for their own planes to begin boarding. It wasn’t the nicest of places, but at least they gave them food and something to drink.

Slaves were the last ones to board the plane, which meant they had to walk single file down the aisle, while the other passengers watched them. They were seated in the back and luckily Cade and Jace were together.

“Are you sure you want the window?” Jace asked, his grey eyes filled with concern.

Cade nodded and took his seat, closing his eyes in hopes of warding off another panic attack. Jace sat beside him, fiddling with his seatbelt and then with Cade’s. He sat rubbing Cade’s arm, a gentle reminder that everything was going to be OK.

OK didn’t last long when the plane began to move down the runway, picking up speed and making a whole lot of noise that sounded terrifying to Cade. He couldn’t be thankful enough to have Jace with him, holding him close and whispering comforting words while the plane lifted into the air. 

Cade was able to relax one the plane stopped rising and evened out, even though he felt like he was floating and being squished at the same time and his ears suddenly became clogged. Jace had explained something about altitude change, but unfortunately no one had explained to Jace what altitude was, so his explanation left them confused.   
The flight was a little over three hours, which meant Cade was going to have to do a lot to keep himself preoccupied. Luckily, the other slaves on the flight were nice and after a few minutes, Cade had most of the cabin listening to the stories he had memorized from the books he used to read. 

Landing was the most terrifying thing he ever thought he would experience in his life and he was thankful Jace was next to him; clutching his hand tightly and sealing his mouth over Cade’s to muffle his scream when the tires touched the ground.

He was extremely shaky as they walked down the aisle towards the front of the plane. The flight attendant who had served them gave him a bright smile and a pat on the shoulder, reassuring him that he handled his first flight very well. He managed to give her a small smiled before stepping off the plane, forcing himself not to make a complete fool of himself by dropping to the floor and kissing the sturdy ground beneath him. 

The view outside the large windows of the airport showed that it was sunny outside and lacking the snow they had left back home. Cade remembered the flight attendant telling him the Bahamas would be warm and before he knew it, he would be lounging on a beach and getting a tan. 

Their master was waiting for them by the baggage claim, his bags by his side. He looked both of them over and reached out to run a gentle hand through Cade’s hair. It was a surprising gesture, but it hadn’t been the first time he had done it since they returned home after Christmas. He was still the same asshole he had been, still bossing them around, hitting them because he could and forcing them into his bed, but there were a times Cade would find his master stroking Jace’s cheek or carding his fingers through Cade’s hair.  
Cade and Jace carried their master’s bags outside and Cade was surprised just how warm it was. It felt like they had suddenly jumped to summer, even though he knew the reason why it was warm was because they were closer to the equator. 

They took a shuttle to the hotel, where Cade and Jace took their master’s things out of the car and carried them into the large building. Their master waited for them by the door, reaching out and taking a bag Cade had slung over his back. He held the door open and Cade’s steps stuttered to a stop when he looked at the front desk.

He recognized the red hair before he recognized the man standing next to him and his heart began to pound in his chest. He silently mouthed Eden’s name and the man turned to address a young man in uniform who was loading their bags onto a cart. If only he turned his head just a little bit more he’d see Cade. Instead he turned back to the desk to address the woman standing behind it.

Cade didn’t care. Eden was here and that meant he could get answers to the endless questions racing around in his head. 

“Cade?” Jace asked, stepping in front of him and blocking his view of Eden heading towards the elevator. “Is something wrong?”

Cade snapped out of his stupor and shook his head. “No,” he replied, giving Jace a small smile. “Just thought I saw something.”

Jace nodded and turned to follow their master. He signed in, took the key card from the woman at the desk and led Jace and Cade to the same elevator Eden had taken moments ago. They stepped off the elevator at the sixth floor and Cade felt dizzy when he saw Eden walk out of a small alcove and move down the hall.

He followed closely behind Jace, his eyes never leaving Eden’s. He wanted to call out to him, but he knew his master would strike him if he did. So he kept quiet and watched him step up to a door, pull a card out of his pocket and use it to enter the room. 

Cade glance at the room number when he walked past. Room 628 that meant they were staying on the same floor. It also meant he would have to find a way to sneak out of his room and find Eden so he could talk to him.

The chance came sooner then expected when their master opened the door to their own room, instructed Cade and Jace to unpack his things and then sent them out to get ice. They didn’t get far before Cade strayed across the hall and headed towards Eden’s door.

“Cade, what are you doing?” Jace hissed.

Cade ignored him as he walked towards room 628. He needed to see Eden, needed to know why he never came. He set down the ice bucket and raised his hand, rapping his knuckles on the door before Jace could stop him. His heart hammered in his chest when he heard shuffling on the other side. For a split second he debated on running, then the door opened and Raf was looking down at him, his grey eyes widening.

He didn’t say anything, just stepped aside to let Cade in. Cade stepped forward, feeling Jace follow him nervously. Lucas was lounging in a chair, his green eyes turning to see Cade walk forward. His eyes darted to Eden, who’s back was to Cade and then he looked back at Cade. He gave him a soft smile and nodded.

Hurt, longing and fear welled up in Cade’s chest and took a deep breath. “Eden,” he called, his voice thick and trembling.

Eden’s head snapped around and he stared at Cade for several seconds as if he were imagining him standing there. He looked older then the last time Cade had seen him, exhaustion and stress leaving dark lines on his face and his body much thinner then it had been before.

Eden he was on his feet in second and moving towards Cade. His eyes were filled with tears when he pulled Cade to him and he couldn’t seem to stop saying Cade’s name. 

Cade let the tears he was holding back spill down his cheeks and he clutched tightly to Eden’s shirt. It took several minutes for either of them to compose themselves, Cade loosing his control when Eden pulled back and kissed him. The kiss was like a balm on a wound that refused to heal and Cade slid his hands into Eden’s hair to keep him there. When they finally parted, both were out of breath and Eden still looked like didn’t believe Cade was here. 

“Oh my god, Cade,” he breathed. “I…” he stuttered for several more seconds before he could say something. “I got back to the room and you were gone. I searched but… My parents wouldn’t tell me anything for hours. When they finally did tell me, I was already too late. I tried so hard, but no one would tell me where you were.”

“I waited,” Cade whispered, touching Eden’s face. “I prayed you would come and then I thought the worst when you didn’t show. I saw you at the desk and I just had to see you, to know why…” Cade’s voice cracked and he buried his face in Eden’s chest.

Eden slid his fingers through Cade’s hair, whispering several apologies. “I went to the farm and demanded they tell me where you were, but they refused to give me any information. I still looked,” Eden whispered. “I still am looking.” He stepped away from Cade and cupped his cheek, tilting his head back so he could look into Cade’s eyes. “Who has you now?”

Cade opened his mouth to answer, but in truth, he didn’t know. He had never heard his master’s name and he had never thought to ask. “Alexander Milton,” Jace answered for him.  
Cade turned his head to look at the man. He was pressed against the door, his face blank, but his grey eyes reflected his agitation. Raf was standing with him, trying to coax him further into the room. Jace wasn’t listening, nor was he moving.

“Xander has you?” Eden breathed. He reached for Cade’s shirt and began tugging on it. “Has he hurt you, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Eden,” Cade replied softly, pulling his shirt back down so he didn’t see the scars and new marks.

“He’s not fine,” Jace called from the door. Eden glanced up at him at the same time Cade turned to glare at the slave. Jace finally moved away from the door, coming to stand next to Cade. “He won’t keep his mouth shut and he keeps taking my punishments. He’s stubborn and makes everything harder for himself.”

“Why are you telling him this?” Cade growled. He would have yelled at him more if he hadn’t been so surprised that Jace was actually talking. He would have never said these things in front of their master, so why was he saying them in front of Eden. 

“Take off your shirt, Cade,” Eden said quietly. Cade grumbled, but removed his shirt anyway. He tossed it onto the bed and paused, looking up at Eden stubbornly. His wounds had healed enough that they didn’t need to be bandaged anymore, which meant that he couldn’t hide the worst from Eden. 

“You better let him see, little one,” Raf said gently. He had come up behind Cade and set a hand on his shoulder. He forcibly turned Cade around and Eden cursed. 

Eden’s hands on his back were gentle and they immediately brought up memories of all the other times Eden had ran his hands down his back. “You need to stop being so stubborn, your body won’t be able to take any more abuse.”

“Good luck getting him to do that,” Jace snorted. “I’ve been trying to keep him in line since the day he arrived.”

“Why don’t you talk to our master like this?” Cade hissed.

“Because I’m smart enough to keep my mouth shut,” Jace replied and Eden snorted.

“Well you’re both a perfect pair,” he chuckled, turning Cade back around. Cade snatched his shirt off the bed and pulled it back on.

“Our master is an idiot and he takes everything out on us,” he grumbled. “I don’t like it and I don’t like how horrible he is to Jace.”

“And I have told you that I’m used to it,” Jace replied.

“You stand there and let him do whatever he wants to you even when you know you’ve done nothing wrong.”

“That’s what most slaves are trained to do,” Lucas replied. “You were an exception.”

“No one should be treated like a punching bag because their master is too stupid to learn from his own mistakes,” Cade ground out.

“This is why we give our slaves rules, Eden,” Lucas huffed.

“He was never my slave and you know it,” Eden replied, smiling lovingly down at Cade. He set a hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead. “I’m going to get you back, but I need you to behave until I do.”

“Can’t you take me back now?” Cade asked, frowning when Eden shook his head.

“Unfortunately those papers my father forged were very convincing and he’s got all the servants telling me that you up and walked out of the house on your own. No one will believe that he took you, and because I couldn’t find you, I had no evidence.”

“So you need me to tell someone that your father took me?” Cade asked.

“Yes, but for now I can’t do anything until I get you back. Right now it looks like you’ve been sold and legally I no longer own you. I have to go through the court to get you back.”

“How long will that take?” Cade asked, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

“A few weeks, maybe a month,” Raf replied, circling around Cade to look at him. “We’ve got the paperwork all ready, we just needed to know where you were. Unfortunately, Xander isn’t the easiest man to work with when it comes to legal problems, so telling him about this will cause more trouble.”

“So I have to go back to him and pretend I don’t know you and do exactly what he say for another month?” Cade demanded.

“I’m sorry, love,” Eden whispered, his blue eyes begging for forgiveness.

“Once everything is set in motion it will go fast,” Raf explained. “It’s just a matter of getting it going.”

“And that’s what’s going to take time,” Cade sighed and nodded. “I’ll behave and I’ll wait, but I don’t know if you’ll want me by then.”

“Why wouldn’t I want you?” Eden asked, frowning hard. 

“He’s been fucking me since he brought me home,” Cade replied, ignoring the huff from Jace and the surprised look from Eden. “I’m tainted, why would you want that?”

“You’re not tainted, Cade,” Eden whispered. “I still love you and I’ll still love you when I get you back.”

“There is still the issue of me cheating on you,” Cade continued.

“You didn’t cheat on me, Cade. He is your master, you did what he commanded you to do, not what you wanted to do.”

“Well if you put it like that, it means I cheated on you with him,” Cade cried, pointing at Jace. Jace stiffened, his grey eyes darting between Cade and Eden.

Eden held up a hand to stop Jace from saying anything. “It’s alright, Cade, we can work all this out when I get you back. For now, you need to behave and do what your master tells you.”

“Which, I might add, we are not doing right now,” Jace chimed in.

Cade let out a tense breath and grunted. Eden’s hands carded through Cade’s hair and he curled a finger under his chin. Cade slowly lifted his chin and Eden kissed him softly. When he pulled away, he turned to Jace and pulled him into his arms. Jace tensed for a moment, but relaxed when Eden kissed the top of his head. His hands curled around Eden’s waist and he clutched tightly to the man. Eden whispered something to him that Cade couldn’t hear and Jace nodded, releasing him and taking a step back. 

“Go do what you’re supposed to do, love,” Eden said, kissing Cade one more time. “I’ll see you again and Raf and I will get started on getting you back to me.”

Cade nodded, reluctantly turning and heading back to the door. He followed Jace out, turning to stare at the man he loved. “Eden,” he called, causing him to look up. “I know you’re on vacation, please try to have some fun too?” 

Eden smiled softly. “I will. I love you, Cade.”

“I love you too.” Cade pulled the door shut and grabbed the ice bucket he had left on the floor. They made their way to the ice machine, but Cade couldn’t seem to get his hands to stop shaking long enough to set the bucked on the machine.

“Cade,” Jace whispered, pulling the bucket out of his hands and turning Cade towards him. He pulled Cade into a tight hug and kissed his cheek. “It’s going to be alright,” he whispered.

“I hope so,” Cade sighed.


	20. Chapter 20

Cade unceremoniously dumped his master’s things on the chair besides Eden’s, scowling at the towels like they were the reason he was upset. Then he turned to Eden to scowl at him.  
“I’m assuming that the two hours between leaving our room and finding us here were bad?” Raf chuckled when Cade crossed his arms.

“Are you sure you can’t get me back faster?” he demanded.

“Why? Are you alright?” Eden asked, sitting up. His blue eyes looked Cade over and his hand slid under the baggy t-shirt he was wearing. Cade’s eyes slid closed when Eden’s hand slid up his stomach and he leaned into the touch. “What happened to your hand?” Eden pulled one hand back and took hold of Cade’s bandaged hand. “Was this like this before or did you just do this?”

“It was like this before, I punched my master’s uncle at Christmas because he was hurting Jace. Nothing’s broken.” He glanced down at his hand and scowled at it too.   
“But are you alright?” Eden asked again.

Cade looked down into Eden’s eyes and he winced at the fear and worry he saw there. “I’m fine,” Cade sighed. “I just can’t get the feel of him off me. Why does he need to do that to us so many times.”

“It’s not something we think about, but if I had to guess, I’d say it had something to do with marking his territory. Xander always did act like an animal when it came to his possessions,” Raf replied. “If it will make you feel better, we did submit the paperwork and Lucas is off talking to a friend to see if they will help.”

“That makes me feel a little better,” Cade muttered. He continued to stare into Eden’s tired blue eyes and sighed again, berating himself for stressing Eden out more. “I’m sorry, I was just hoping that when I saw you things would immediately get better and I would never have to deal with that man again.”

“I wish it was that easy. Unfortunately, it’s going to take some time. For now, let’s just enjoy the little time we have together and I’ll keep up my persistent work to get you back. While you behave and avoid punishment,” Eden’s tone deepened in warning and Cade huffed.

“I’ll behave,” he mumbled.

“Cade,” Jace growled as he stomped towards them. He pointed accusingly at the pile of towels on the chair and glared at Cade. “I sent you down here to set up, this is not setting up.”  
“He’s got two hands, he can set it up himself,” Cade muttered, ignoring the glare Jace gave him.

“Cade,” Eden said, drawing his attention. “Do what Jace asked you to do, please.”

Cade grunted and set up the chair, tossing Jace the towel he was supposed to sit on. Jace continued to scowl at him while he laid his towel out next to his master’s chair. When Cade was done, he turned back to Eden and set his hands on his hips. Eden gave him a brilliant smile that made his heart race and his body react immediately.

“I really miss you,” he whispered, dropping his hands and his eyes to look at the ground. 

Eden’s arms slid around Cade’s waist and he pulled him closer. His hand came up to cup Cade’s cheek and Cade bent down to share a kiss with the man he loved. “I miss you too,” Eden whispered against Cade’s lips.

They shared another kiss before Jace cleared his throat, indicating their master was coming over. Cade straightened and turned to look at the man, gasping when Eden’s hand slid up the back of his leg and underneath his shorts. He rested his hand on the back of Cade’s thigh and squeezed gently. Cade shot him a look and then glanced back at his master.

“Morning Raf, Eden,” his master greeted.

“Morning,” both men said in unison. Eden was still leaning close to Cade, but apparently his hand was hidden, because his master didn’t comment on it.

“Is this your new slave?” Eden asked, leaning back slightly, his hand still on Cade’s thigh.

“Yes and he’s a damn pain in the ass,” Xander grunted, dropping into his chair.

“Is he?” Eden asked, sliding his free hand down Cade’s arm. “He’s been nothing but polite to us.”

“Well that’s good. I’d have drowned him in the pool if he had been rude to Tom Graft’s son.” Cade stiffened and Eden’s hand rubbed his leg. Xander took a moment to look Eden over, his hazel eyes flashing with some sort of recognition. “Did you bring a slave with you, Eden?”

“No, unfortunately, my father didn’t approve of him and sent him away. I’m currently looking for someone new.”

“I’m getting tired of this one,” Xander said, pointing to Jace. “He’ll be going to sale when I get home.”

Eden hummed and slid his hand higher. “It’s a shame you’re not looking to sell this one, I’d be very interested.”

“I might be tempted if we were past the six month mark,” Xander grunted. “Then again, I’m sure I could break him in a few more months.”

“You should behave for your master,” Eden told Cade, giving him a small smile. “It’s not polite to be rude to him.”

“I’ll remember that, sir,” Cade replied, leaning back slightly so Eden’s hand slid up to cup his ass. Eden gave him an approving squeeze, his blue eyes shining with the same mischief that used to tell Cade he was close to dragging him to bed.

“You know,” Xander said thoughtfully. “If you really like him so much I could let you borrow him for the week. He’s not perfectly trained, but I’m sure you could handle him.”

“You would let me take him?” Eden asked, sounding surprised even though Cade could tell he wasn’t.

“Maybe some time with a man like you would do him some good,” Xander nodded. Cade could tell his master was doing this for some other reason, but he didn’t know what. “You’re welcome to take him during the day. I’ll take him back at night and then drop him off in the morning when I leave.”

“I would like that,” Eden replied, giving Cade’s ass a small squeeze.

“Good,” Xander smiled. “You can take him later if you want, or I can leave him for you tomorrow.”

“I’ll take him later,” Eden replied, sliding his hand away from Cade. Cade glanced at him for a moment and Eden gave him a wink. 

“You can take him when you leave. I only need one slave for the rest of the day.” 

“Sounds good.” Eden shook Xander’s hand and settled back in his chair. 

Cade turned from Eden and helped Jace cover their master in suntan lotion. Once they were done, both slaves settled on the blanket on either side of their master’s chair. Eden’s hand was immediately in Cade’s hair, stroking down the back of his neck. 

“Aren’t you worried your slaves are going to burn?” Raf asked.

“They’ll be fine,” Xander waved a hand. “Besides, slave two seems to enjoy being in pain all the time.”

“Slave two?” Eden asked. Xander pointed to Cade and Eden nearly lost his composure. “You don’t call them by their names?”

“No need,” Xander replied coolly. “They never last long enough and remembering names takes to long.”

Cade glanced at Eden and noticed the scowl on Raf’s face. It made Cade happy to know that at least someone didn’t approve of how Xander treated his slaves. The rest of the afternoon droned on while Eden, Raf and Xander talked about everything from school and work to politics. Xander would always reroute the conversation to Eden’s father, who was apparently a role model for the man. Eden’s fingers stayed in Cade’s hair, stroking him softly while he talked, his blue eyes finding Cade’s every few minutes to reassure him that he was still there.

“I leave for a minute and you give my seat away,” Lucas huffed, startling Cade. Where had he come from? Lucas took a seat in the chair next to Xander. His green eyes immediately went to Jace and he gave the slave a small smile. “It’s been a while since I last saw you,” he said softly, sliding a finger down Jace’s cheek. “It’s good to see you, Jace.”

“It’s good to see you again too, sir,” Jace replied, his voice flat. 

Cade glanced over at them and found Lucas frowning at Jace. He cupped Jace’s chin in his hand and lifted his face. Jace’s expression remained blank; his eyes taking on that dull expression they usually did once their master was finished fucking them. 

“All that training did him good,” Xander complimented, smiling at Lucas. ‘You did a good job with him.”

“Too good,” Lucas replied softly, his green eyes looking sad. He ran his thumb over Jace’s cheek almost lovingly and Cade wondered if there was a story there. He would have to ask Eden later.

“Xander has been kind enough to let me borrow his slave for the week,” Eden said, motioning towards Cade. 

“Did he?” Lucas glanced up. “You should let him take Jace too. I know you usually leave your slaves in your room while you’re out. I’m sure Eden wouldn’t mind caring for the two of them.”

“It would be my pleasure, actually,” Eden gave Lucas a soft smile.

“I might take you up on that,” Xander nodded. “If I’m lucky, I won’t have to spend some nights in my room and it’s so much work having to go back and check on them.”

“It’s like owning dogs,” Raf replied bitterly. Xander nodded, missing the scowl Raf shot at him. Cade hid his smile and forced his eyes towards the ground. 

He glanced back over at Jace and found Lucas pulling him to his feet. His hands were gentle as they smoothed over Jace’s skin, turning him to look at the marks on his back and legs. Jace’s blank face never changed while he stood still and let Lucas touch him. Cade saw Lucas mouth and apology when he turned Jace back around, but if Jace had seen it, he didn’t acknowledge it.

About an hour later Xander stated that he’d had enough of the sun and stood. He took Cade’s arm and hauled him to his feet, dragging him away while Jace scurried to clean up his things.

“You listen to me, slave,” he hissed when they were out of earshot. “You better do everything Eden asks you to do. He’s my ticket to his father and if you upset him, you wont have to worry about anymore beatings because I will drown you in the pool, understand?”

“Yes master,” Cade replied, staring up into his dark eyes. Xander nodded and shoved him back towards the group. 

Cade took his place next to Eden’s chai, ignoring the concerned look and glancing over at Jace. Lucas had his arms around him and he was hugging him tightly. Jace still had that blank look, but his dull eyes had a slight light in them. Lucas whispered something in his ear and released him, kissing the top of Jace’s head. Jace quickly grabbed his master’s things and headed back to the hotel.

“Enjoy him,” Xander said to Eden, before turning and trailing after his slave.

Lucas sank into the chair Xander had just vacated and buried his face in his hands. Cade turned to Eden for an explanation and was immediately pulled into Eden’s lap. Cade opened his mouth, but Eden sealed their lips together before he could say anything. 

“You upset?” Raf asked and Cade assumed he was talking to Lucas since Eden’s tongue was preoccupied at the moment.

“I should have told him he was impossible to train,” Lucas whispered, his voice hoarse. “I should have given him some excuse. I never should have let Jace go back to him. He was too fragile when he came to me and I let that bastard break him,” Lucas growled, dropping his hands into his lap. His green eyes were fierce when he looked up.

“Jace isn’t broken,” Cade replied, pulling his mouth away from Eden’s. He immediately attacked Cade’s neck, his hands sliding under his shirt. Cade ignored him the best he could and looked at Lucas. “He’s very outspoken when our master isn’t around, you saw that before. That look he had is something I usually see after out master has used us. I’ve never seen him look at anyone else like that at any other time.”

“He looks at me like that because I’m the one who threw him to that beast. I should have found someone else,” Lucas replied, his green eyes focused on the spot where Eden’s lips were latched onto Cade’s skin. 

“Why didn’t you just keep him for yourself?” Cade asked, biting back a small moan.

“I would have been too rough for him,” Lucas explained. “There were times I was afraid I was. I’m not used to training slaves like him. I’m not used to being gentle with them. Xander only asked me to train him because a firm hand was ruining him. I trained him to suffer through the beatings. I thought he would be alright, but he’s not”

“He will be alright. If you get him away from our master, you’ll see the difference. You did offer to watch him,” Cade reminded.

“I offered for Eden to watch him.” 

“But you’ll be there anyway,” Cade answered. “Did Calvin come with you?”

“No,” Eden said, pulling away from Cade’s skin. “He’s visiting his girlfriend’s family in Florida.”

“Dennis isn’t with you is he?” Cade asked, spitting Dennis’s name out like it was a bad taste in his mouth.

“He doesn’t do vacations,” Raf answered.

“Good, that bastard doesn’t deserve to be here,” Cade muttered.

“I don’t like that you’ve started cursing,” Eden frowned. 

“It makes me feel better,” Cade replied, receiving a small laugh from Raf. “I saw Dennis, at my master’s house for Christmas. He practically choked me to death in the hallway.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised that you saw him, he is Xander’s cousin.” Eden’s eyes went to Cade’s neck and he brushed his fingers over the fading bruises on his skin. “I’m more upset that he never mentioned it.”

“He said your father did exactly what you wanted. He said you were done with me and it was easier to have your father get rid of me so you didn’t have to do it yourself.”

Eden’s eyes flashed with anger and he pulled Cade to his chest. “He was lying. I love you and I was mortified when I found out what my father had done to you. I’m going to get you back and then I’m never going to let you out of my sight again.” Cade nodded, rubbing his cheek over Eden’s chest. Eden’s arms slid around him and he held him tight. 

“I don’t know which one’s worse, mopey and depressed Eden, or sappy, and lovey Eden,” Lucas muttered.

“I vote for sappy and lovey Eden, I like seeing that look in his eyes and how he lights up whenever he see’s Cade,” Raf replied. “Mopey and depressed Eden was like a storm cloud in the house. He would even snap at you sometimes.” Cade turned his head and Raf winked at him. “See what you’ve done to him, you made him bitter while you were gone.”

“Don’t blame Cade,” Eden huffed. He turned his attention back to Cade and smiled softly. “You’re stuck with me for the rest of the day, what would you like to do, love?”

Cade looked between Lucas and Raf, his mind immediately going to the empty hotel room Eden was staying in. Eden seemed to catch on to Cade’s thought process and he smiled. Cade’s face immediately heated and Lucas snorted. 

“Of course that would be the first thing you think about.”

“You and I will make our way back to the room later.” He paused when Cade’s stomach rumbled. “I think we can both agree on getting something to eat first.” 

“Yes,” Cade breathed. “I haven’t had real food since I was sold. He only let’s us eat that horrible sand tasting stuff.”

“That’s it?” Eden asked, sliding his hands back under Cade’s shirt. “No wonder you’re so thin. That shouldn’t be only thing he feeds you, there’s hardly any nutritional value in that.”

“Think they are a dog, feed them like a dog,” Raf recited, pushing himself to his feet. He pulled Cade out of Eden’s arms and into his own. “I missed you just as much as Eden did and though he won’t admit it, Lucas missed you too.”

“I missed all of you so much,” Cade whispered, returning Raf’s hug and letting his warmth envelope him.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I accidentally posted this under A Life of Change. Sorry if I confused anyone.

Cade stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror and ran his fingers through his scraggly brown hair. It hadn’t been cut since he had been sold and it was looking more like a mop then hair each day. He ran his fingers through it a few more times; trying to tame it as best he could for Eden. His smile grew wider while he tucked a loose lock behind his ear.

He was going to be spending the day with Eden, free from his master and his horrible punishments. There was a little voice in his head that reminded him that he would be abandoning Jace, but he quieted the voice by reassuring it that he would ask Eden if the other slave could join them.

He stepped out of the bathroom and was crowded against the wall by Xander. The towel was jerked off his waist and rough hands cupped him. “Get on the bed,” his master breathed in his ear.

Cade squeezed his eyes shut and his gut clenched. Xander’s body was hard against him and his cock was pushing against Cade’s hip. As much as he wanted to refuse, he knew letting his master fuck him would be better then the bruises Eden would have to see if he refuse. He gave his master a small nod and slipped away from him. Cade crawled onto the bed, settling on his elbows and pushing his hips up. He didn’t have a chance to breath before hands were touching him and his master’s cock was forcing its way into him.

He dragged in a deep breath and forced his body to relax. It would only hurt more if he tensed. Xander didn’t care if Cade was comfortable or enjoying himself, it was all about him and no one else was important.

A knock on the door startled Cade and his master growled at Jace to answer it. Jace shuffled to answer the door, saying something to the person on the other side before taking a step back and letting them in.

“Good morning, Xander,” came Eden’s soft voice. Cade let out a small whimper when he saw the man step into the room, his blue eyes going wide at the sight that greeted him.  
Cade forced his eyes closed and squeezed them tight. He couldn’t look at Eden when his master was forcing his way into his body.

“Morning, Eden. I’m sorry, I didn’t expect you to come get him so soon,” Xander panted, slapping Cade on the ass. “I’m almost finished with him if you want to wait. I’ll get him all cleaned up and then send him to your room when I’m done.”

“Alright,” Eden replied quietly. “I’ll wait for him.” Cade listened for the door to shut and fought back a sob. Eden shouldn’t have to see this. He shouldn’t have to see anything Cade’s master did to him.

His master grunted when he came, filling Cade’s body with the sticky mess that would leave Cade feeling dirty and embarrassed for the rest of the day. Xander jerked out of him and went to the bathroom, cleaning himself and leaving Cade on the bed.

Jace helped Cade up, ushering him to the bathroom when their master was finished. Cade washed again and scurried to his clothes when he stepped out of the bathroom.  
“Don’t make him wait,” Xander growled when Cade was dressed.

“Yes, master,” Cade replied, giving Jace a look before scurrying from the room.

He paused outside of Eden’s door, breathing slowly to keep the tears threatening to fall at bay. He reached up a knocked on the door, waiting for Eden to answer. He needed to apologize for what Eden had seen, needed to make sure he understood that what his master had done was nothing like what they had done.

Eden opened the door to his room and Cade opened his mouth. “I know you’re going to apologize and you don’t need to,” Eden said softly. “It wasn’t your fault and I should have known better. Come inside, little one.”

Cade nodded and stepped inside, turning to face Eden when he shut the door. Eden wrapped Cade up in his arms and pulled him to his chest. All thought of Cade’s master disappeared when their lips met and Cade opened his mouth, moaning when Eden’s tongue slid over his lips. Eden’s hands dropped to Cade’s thighs and he slid him up the wall. Cade immediately wrapped his arms around Eden’s neck and slid his legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

Eden pulled away from the wall, their mouths still locked together while he made his way to the bed. He laid Cade across the mattress and crawled on top of him. Cade’s hands immediately slid under Eden’s shirt and he pushed the fabric up. Eden lifted his arms so Cade could get it off and began tugging at Cade’s clothes.

They were naked in a matter of seconds and Eden stretched out over Cade, bringing their mouths back together. Cade slid his knees up and let his legs fall open, moaning when Eden’s skin brushed against his thighs. Eden’s cock slid over Cade’s stomach, sending a shiver up Cade’s spine. Though his master had just fucked him, Cade badly wanted to feel Eden inside him.

He lifted his hips, brushing his own hard cock against Eden’s hip. “Please,” he whispered between kisses.

Eden hummed, sliding down and licking up Cade’s neck. His lips stayed on Cade’s skin when he contorted to grab a bottle of lube from a small bag on the bedside table. He covered two fingers in lube and hastily slid them between Cade’s legs.

He didn’t waste time easing into Cade’s body; instead he slid his two fingers into him, breathing out a frustrated sigh against Cade’s lips. Cade moaned at the gentle fingers sliding in and out of him and he lifted his body off the bed to push them deeper.

Eden hummed, removing his fingers once Cade was slicked up. Cade’s legs slid wider and he whispered Eden’s name several time while the man covered his cock with lube.

A gasp of breath left Cade’s body when Eden’s cock pushed into him. Though they had done this several times yesterday, it still felt like it had been years since Eden had last been inside him.

He tightened around Eden’s cock, receiving a moan from the man. When Eden’s hips were flush with his ass, Eden bent over Cade and crushed their lips together.

The first slide of his cock sent shivers up Cade’s spine and he rolled his hips, welcoming Eden when he pushed back in. He was slow at first, letting all his feelings flow through those slow, meticulous strokes. Eden was bringing life back into Cade, life Cade hadn’t even realized had slipped from him.

Eden’s slow slides quickened and he ran his hands over Cade’s body, his fingers remembering every curve. It all had Cade’s heart racing uncontrollably and his body writhing beneath Eden’s.

“Eden,” Cade whispered as he clutched to Eden’s arms. Eden took hold of the fingers that were digging into his muscles and he pulled Cade’s hands over his head, crossing them at the wrist. Ede curled one hand around both of Cade’s wrists, pinning them to the mattress. His other hand slid under Cade’s knee until it was tucked in the crook of his arm. He pushed Cade’s leg forward, opening him further.

Cade let out a low moan when Eden pushed deeper, the head of his cock sliding over his prostate. Eden gasped when Cade tightened around him, his hips snapping forward to drive into the spot that made Cade’s moans grow louder and louder.

“Oh god, Eden,” Cade cried, arching his back off the bed. Eden moaned and nipped at Cad’s calf, drawing out another moan.

The sound of the lock clicking caused Eden to jerk up and he quickly bunched up the sheets to hide where their bodies connected. Eden’s thrusts slowed to a slow rocking and Cade groaned out a complaint, turning his head to see who had interrupted them.

“Eden…” Xander called, dragging Jace into the room. He froze when he saw what was going on, his jaw working as he looked between the two on the bed.

Cade suppressed a groan and closed his eyes; he didn’t want to look at his master while the man he loved moved inside him. He laid one arm over his eyes and gripped the sheets with the other. Eden’s hips continued to move, the head of his cock brushing against Cade’s prostate.

“I… ran into Raf downstairs. I told him I was going to be out for the day and most of the night and he reminded me that you had offered to take my other slave. He gave me his key and told me you were still in the room. I wasn’t expecting to find you like this.”

“Was I not supposed to do this?” Eden asked, hiking Cade’s leg higher in his arm. Cade bit back a groan as he squirmed beneath him. “I hope I’m not crossing a line?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve just never seen him submit like that,” Xander replied. Cade swore he sounded a little jealous.

“You just have to know what they like,” Eden replied, his voice smooth like silk as he rolled his hips. Cade gasped and arched his back again. He pulled his arm away from his eyes and reached for Eden’s hand to keep himself from grasping his cock. Eden’s fingers laced with his and he pulled Cade’s arm up and pinned it to the bed. He curled his other hand around Cade’s other wrist and pinned it to his side.

“So I see,” Xander replied, his voice slightly hoarse. “Would you like to take him or should I leave him in my room?” he asked, obviously talking about Jace.

“I’ll take him if Raf offered. Speaking of, where is Raf right now?”

“By the pool, I think,” Xander said, his voice getting higher every time he spoke.

“Would you mind bringing Jace down to him until I’m done?” Cade didn’t hear his master answer, but he heard the door click shut seconds later.

He forced his eyes open and looked up at Eden. Eden’s blue eyes were so dark they were almost black when he pulled out and slammed back into Cade. Cade’s breath left him and he arched off the bed, letting out a sharp cry. He writhed beneath Eden and each thrust made it harder for him to catch his breath.

He was drenched in sweat and he could feel hot beads of sweat slide down Eden’s hips and onto his skin. Cade tried to pull his hands out of Eden’s grasp to touch himself, but Eden just tightened his grip.

“You didn’t want Xander to see you stroking yourself and you’re going to finish like that,” Eden groaned, his hips moving erratically.

“Eden, please,’ Cade begged.

“We both know you can come without touching yourself,” Eden grunted. Cade knew he was right and if Eden continued to push into him like he was, he wasn’t going to last much longer.

Eden drove hard into him several more times, forcing Cade’s orgasm onto him like a roiling summer storm. Cade gave a loud shout when his cock erupted, pouring come over his stomach.

Eden’s hips stuttered for a second when he started to come, his hips jerking before he could find his rhythm again. Cade clutched around him, his body begging for Eden to warm him from the inside out.

Cade dropped to the bed, tilting his head back when Eden buried his face in his neck. He squeezed his eyes closed when his tears threatened to spill again. He didn’t want to feel another man’s hands on him ever again, even though he knew he would have to let his master inside him again.

“Please,” he whispered, his voice shaking as tear rolled down his face. “Please don’t let him touch me again. I don’t want to feel his hands on me. I don’t want to feel him inside me again. I only want you, Eden, please don’t give me back to him.”

“I know,” Eden whispered over and over. He brought their lips together as he pulled out of Cade’s body, breathing an apology whenever they parted. Cade couldn’t stop crying and he couldn’t keep the pleas from falling from his lips.

Eden pushed up, dragging Cade up with him until he was sitting in his lap. Eden held him close for several minutes, stroking Cade’s hair while he begged Eden not to send him back to his master.

“I’ll get you back,” he promised as he climbed off the bed and carried Cade into the bathroom.

Cade’s sobs subsided while Eden washed him, leaving him gasping and hiccupping when he climbed out of the tub. They wound up back on the bed, sitting cross-legged so their knees were touching. Cade forced his breathing to slow and he rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand.

“Better?” Eden asked, offering him a sip of water.

“Yeah,” Cade nodded. “I’m sorry, I know this is just as hard on you as it is for me. I also know that begging is only making it harder.”

“Don’t be sorry, Cade. “You’re having a harder time then I am and I understand why you don’t want to be with Xander. I’m doing all I can and I promise to get you back as fast as I can. I wish I could take you back now and I regret not keeping you closer to me while I was at home.”

“I know you’re trying and I’ll be alright.” Cade tried for a smile, but he wasn’t sure if he managed it. “Just a few more weeks, right?”

“Right,” Eden replied, sounding slightly dejected. “Why don’t we go get Jace and head to the beach? Lets enjoy our time together and then we’ll deal with being apart when the time comes.” Cade nodded, leaning forward and capturing Eden’s lips again.

They found Raf and Jace at the pool and invited them to join them on the beach. Cade slid his hand into Jace’s while they walked, his other hand tangled with Eden’s. He gave Jace a comforting smile when the slave glanced at him.

“I should be jealous,” Jace said quietly as they searched for a spot on the beach. “I’ve never gotten you to make those kinds of noises whenever we’re together.”

Cade’s smile faltered and he shot a look at Raf when he snickered. Eden snorted, stopping when he found a spot he liked. “I’m going to be nice and keep my mouth shut about that.”  
“You’ll have some time to work on it when you two get back home,” Raf replied. Cade caught Eden wince and his own chest twisted painfully.

“No we won’t,” Cade replied flatly. Jace gave him a look that told him to shut up and Eden and Raf paused to look at them.

“What do you mean?” Eden asked carefully.

“Jace is going to be sold when we get home, remember. Our master is tired of him and he wants someone new.”

“How long have you been with him?” Eden asked, his blue eyes moving to Jace’s face.

“Five years,” Jace replied.

“That’s longer then normal for Xander,” Raf commented. He spread the blanket out over the sand and then opened a chair and settled himself into it. “Any idea what sale he’s thinking about putting you in?”

“My master doesn’t care what sale I go to, so long as I sell,” Jace replied, settling cross legged on the blanket. “He’s been telling everyone he’s selling me. Maybe I’ll get lucky and someone will purchase me privately. That way I know what to expect.”

“I guess that’s one way to look at it,” Raf replied with a sigh.

Cade set a hand on Jace’s shoulder and squeezed. He went to sit next to him, but Eden’s arm around his waist stopped him. “Why don’t we go in the water,” he suggested, obviously trying to change the subject to something lighter.

“I don’t think either Jace nor I know how to swim,” Cade replied.

“We won’t go that far, love. Just to your thighs to avoid getting your wounds wet.”

“I’ll pass, sir,” Jace replied. “I like looking at the water from a safe distance.”

“Alright, and please call me Eden,” Eden said, taking Cade’s hand and pulling him toward the water. The ocean was calm and Cade could smell the salt getting stronger the closer they got.

The first roll of wave to touch Cade’s feet was warm and he sunk slightly when the wave drew the sand back with it. The water swallowed up his feet and legs the deeper they went and Cade winced when a larger wave rolled over his back, grazing one of the healing marks.

Eden stopped a few steps further and turned to look at Cade. “It’s not so bad now is it?” he asked.

“It’s nice,” Cade replied, taking a step closer and grabbing hold of Eden’s arm when a wave threw him off balance. Eden wrapped his dry arms around Cade’s waist and pulled him off his feet.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let the waves take you away from me,” he whispered into Cade’s ear, kissing the lobe gently. Cade tilted his head up and Eden kissed him. They shared the kiss for a moment longer before Eden set Cade back down and turned him towards the shore. “Next time we go to the ocean, you’ll know how to swim and we can spend more time in the water.”

“Next time we go to the ocean I want to know a lot more then how to swim,” Cade replied. Eden chuckled and took his hand.

Lucas had joined them while they were in the water and he nodded at the two when they approached. He reached out for Cade, taking his hand and pulling him into his lap when he got closer. Eden slid behind Jace and sat so the slave was between his legs.

“How’s the water?” Lucas asked, his green eyes fixed on Jace.

“Warm,” Cade replied, leaning back against Lucas’s chest. Lucas glanced down at him and wrapped his arms around his waist, squeezing him gently.

“You smell like the sea,” Lucas breathed, nudging Cade’s cheek with his nose.

Eden hummed as he watched Eden’s hands slide down Jace’s arm. He puled Jace closer to him and nuzzled his neck, whispering something to him Cade couldn’t hear. Jace’s quick flash of surprise was hidden by the bored look he usually wore, but Cade could see that he was starting to retreat into himself. It got worse when Eden nipped at his neck.

“It this my punishment for cheating on you with Jace? I have to sit and watch my boyfriend do all the things I like him to do to me to Jace?”

“No,” Lucas chuckled. “I asked Eden to do this for me, I’m sorry if you’re upset.”

“I’m… not,” Cade replied, glancing at Raf. “Should I be worried that I like it?”

“No,” Raf smiled, tilting his head. “Some people enjoy having a relationship with two people at the same time. Maybe you’re one of those people.”

“But does that mean I love Eden less now?” Cade asked.

“You can love two people equally, Cade. There is no who do you love more,” Lucas explained.

“Oh,” Cade replied, sounding dejected. This was going to make saying goodbye to Jace even harder.

Lucas squeezed him tighter and kissed his cheek. “It will all work out, little one.”

“I hope so,” Cade whispered.

Eden’s lips had moved down Jace’s neck and across his shoulder. His white teeth would nip at the skin, leaving little red marks that faded in seconds. Lucas’s face grew stonier and his eyes took on that vacant look when Eden’s hand slid up his stomach.

“There it is,” Lucas whispered, his green eyes watching Jace sadly.

Eden had pulled back when Jace’s face changed and he was now nuzzling Jace’s ear, whispering softly to him. It took several minutes before Jace’s eyes focused again and he took a deep breath. He glanced around, his grey eyes landing on Cade. Cade gave him a small smile and pulled out of Lucas’s arms. He crawled over to Jace and gently kissed his cheek.

“It’s like that every time Xander touches the two of you?” Lucas asked.

“Yes, there are sometimes even I’ll lose him,” Cade explained.

“Loose me?” Jace asked, his eyes focusing on Lucas.

“You hide away inside yourself,” Cade explained, stroking Jace’s hair. “You get this vacant look and sometimes it takes me hours to snap you out of it.”

Jace’s eyes narrowed and he sneered, “well whose fault is that?”

Lucas winced at the accusation and nodded. “I deserved that.”

Cade huffed and set his forehead on Jace’s cheek. “Stop it,” he whispered harshly. “Lucas did what he was asked to do. Go over and apologize.” Jace gave him a cold look, but crawled towards Lucas.

Lucas dragged him into his arms, holding him tight. Jace pressed against him, his own arms snaking around Lucas’s neck. Eden pulled Cade into his arms and kissed him softly. “Any preferences on what you want to do now?”

“I think Jace would enjoy food that has taste,” Cade replied, nudging Eden’s chin with his nose.

“Lunch sounds good,” Raf nodded; shutting the book he had been reading and dropping it into his bag.

The group packed their things and headed to one of the restaurants at the hotel, sitting on the patio. Jace sat between Cade and Lucas, looking slightly annoyed that Lucas kept close to him. Cade really wanted to hear Jace’s side of the story and to see if he could help him forgive the man. Lucas might be intimidating, but when he talked to Jace, Cade could see something softer inside the man.

Cade ordered the unhealthiest, determined to get his fill of real food before he had to go back home. Jace on the other hand, ordered as healthy as he could, asking only Cade to help him read the menu even though Lucas offered several times.

Cade teased Jace about his choice of salad and fruit, which lead to Jace stealing his fries and the look on Jace’s face when he took a bite was the most emotion Cade had seen from him. It made Cade’s frustrations about being sold just a little less painful when he could give Jace that little pleasure.

By the end of the night, both Cade and Jace were exhausted from their day on the beach and the group decided to head back to their hotel room and relax after dinner. Eden had taken them both back to Xander’s room and as promised, the man wasn’t there.

“That means the two of you will be staying with us for the night,” Eden said, turning them around and steering them back to his room. Lucas met them at the door, taking hold of Jace’s hand and stating that he wanted to spend some time alone with him.

“Should I be worried about them?” Cade asked when Eden shut the door.

“No, they’ll be back,” Eden reassured.

“After Lucas has some sexy time with him,” Raf winked. “And I’m not leaving, which means no sexy time for either of you.”

“We did that this morning,” Cade replied with a smirk.

“My god you’re adorable when you want to be,” Raf huffed, tossing his arms around Cade and hugging him. “Eden, I think we should just steal him.”

“We can’t steal him,” Eden called from the bathroom. “It’ll only make things worse.”

“Stupid rules,” Raf muttered, a smile spreading across his face. “You should probably join Eden in the shower, little one, get all that salt off you. That way you can have some private time while I wash.”

Cade snorted and turned to walk into the bathroom. Eden had just started the shower and was sliding his swimsuit off, giving Cade a perfect view of his ass. “You better stop staring or I’ll have to do things to you that will get us in trouble with Raf,” Eden warned.

“We can do them when he gets in the shower,” Cade suggested, his eyes dropping to Eden’s cock. He really wanted to get his mouth on it and show Eden what he had learned.

“We’ll see,” Eden chuckled, pulling back the shower curtain, “but right now you need to get in the shower.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two more chapters left in this story and I have started working on the next one.

“Will you please talk to me,” Cade hissed at Jace, jerking Xander’s clothes out of his suitcase and tossing them onto the bed. He looked over at Jace and frowned.

Jace had his back to Cade and he was purposely ignoring him. “There is nothing to talk about,” Jace replied coolly. 

“All I want to know is what happened between you and Lucas,” Cade tired again. Their master was currently in the shower so the two could talk freely and Cade hadn’t stopped asking about Lucas and he wasn’t going to until he got an answer. “It’s been three days, Jace, and you haven’t said a nice thing to Lucas the whole time. Even when he gets you alone you come back grouchier then when you left.”

“That’s because he thinks fucking me is going to make things better,” Jace muttered. 

“Did you tell him that?” Cade asked.

“No,” Jace snapped. “I just want him to leave me alone.”

“Then tell him to leave you alone.”

“He’ll want to know why.”

“Then tell him,” Cade cried.

“What do you want me to say?” Jace spun around do look at him, his grey eyes fierce. “Do you want me to tell him that he’s a horrible person for doing what my master asked him to do? Tell him he taught me to never care about myself because my master is more important? Or should I tell him how much I hate him because he’s the first man I ever loved and he threw me back to that monster with a cold look and a quick goodbye?” Jace paused, his body shaking and he was breathing heavy.

Cade blinked several times and looked into Jace’s eyes, seeing the pain he had been holding onto for so many years. “You love Lucas?” he asked.

“I did,” Jace replied, sounding like he was in pain. “I still have feelings for him, but I don’t think I could love him again. Then again,” Jace huffed out a laugh, glancing at Cade, “I seem to fall in love with men I can’t have all the time.”

Cade was taken aback by the confession. His heart twisted in guilt and shame welled up inside him. He had known that Jace felt something for him, but he hadn’t realized it was love. Maybe he had seen it and he had ignored it because he didn’t want to admit that one day he would have to leave Jace and break his heart. 

“Jace,” Cade whispered. He took a step forward and slid his arms around Jace’s neck.

“I’m sorry,” Jace sniffed. “I didn’t mean to say that.”

“No, you should say it and you should talk to Lucas and tell him how you feel.” Cade pulled back and cupped Jace’s face, kissing him softly. “I know you’re upset with him, but Lucas wants to help you and he wants to fix everything he’s done wrong.”

Jace huffed and pressed his forehead to Cade’s. “I will try to talk to him.”

Cade smiled and kissed Jace again. The door to the bathroom opened and they both jumped away from each other. Xander stepped out completely naked, his hazel eyes cold as he looked between his slaves. 

Cade watched him warily, a naked Xander usually meant he wanted sex and Cade didn't want to undress again that morning. Xander had already woken them once that morning, forcing Cade and Jace to have sex with each other while he watched. The request seemed odd and once they were done, Xander fucked them both. He had been gentler then usual when he took Jace but was extremely harsh with Cade. It had left them both rattled and Cade didn’t think either of them were up for another round. 

“Are you going to bring me my clothes, or are you going to stand there and stare at me all day?” Xander demanded.

Jace snapped out of his stupor first and rushed to get his master his clothes. Cade brought over the last of his clothes, holding them out at arms length. Xander took them, his hazel eyes watching Cade with a cold expression. 

Xander pulled on his boxers and reached for Jace, cupping his chin in his hand. “I spoke to Patrick the other day about you. He was very interested in purchasing you. He even gave me a price and told me he would take you from me at the end of the week.”

Cade caught the slight flinch from Jace and he suddenly felt sick. If this Patrick could get that sort of reaction from Jace, he wasn’t someone that should be buying him. 

There was a knock at the door and Xander stepped aside to let Jace answer it. Eden and Lucas greeted him with gentle smiles and Eden’s eyes immediately went to Cade, his crystal blue eyes flashing with concern when he saw Cade’s unsettled look. Behind him, Lucas had taken Jace’s face in his hands and was kissing him softly. 

“Morning,” Xander grunted, straightening his shirt.

“Good morning,” Eden answered, sliding his arms around Cade’s neck and pulling him to his chest. “Going to one of the New Year’s Eve parties?” he asked Xander.

“Yes,” Xander replied, watching Lucas and Jace. “You’ve both gotten attached to my slaves.”

“They are very entertaining to be around. Both of them are very smart and we enjoy spending time with them. I might even come visit this one when I get home.” Eden patted Cade’s head and smiled. 

“You’re welcome to come see him whenever you want,” Xander replied. 

“Are you going to be out all night?” Lucas asked. Xander nodded, tilting his head in question. “Do you mind if we keep the two of them for the night?”

“Sure,” Xander replied after a moment’s hesitation. “But you don’t have to. They are capable of taking care of themselves and I’m sure the last thing you want to do tonight is babysit my slaves.” 

“Nonsense,” Eden waved a hand. “It’s no problem at all. They’ll be fun to have around tonight.”

Xander nodded. “Thank you for taking them. Enjoy and happy New Year.” Eden and Raf nodded to him and the group left the room.

“Are you two alright?” Eden asked when they reached his room. “You both seem a little rattled.” He turned to Cade and looked him over.

“It was an odd morning,” Cade responded. “Our master woke us up earlier and forced Jace and me to have sex with each other. Then he had sex with us and he was so gentle with Jace and very rough with me. It was weird.”

“It almost felt like jealousy,” Jace chimed in, stepping away from Lucas when he reached for him. Cade gave him a look and Jace glared at him but stepped closer to Lucas.

“Xander did seem a little off too,” Eden replied, sliding his hands over Cade’s arms. Lucas was doing the same to Jace and Cade was relieved that the other slave was standing still.  
“Maybe he’s jealous.”

“I don’t know how he could be jealous. He’s never been gentle with anyone in his life,” Jace told them coldly. 

“I think it has more to do with love then being gentle,” Raf added. “Xander has never really been loved before. Even his parents are cold to him. He might be jealous because Cade has gotten close to Eden. He had mentioned yesterday that he walked in on the two of you having sex and that Eden had gotten Cade to do things he’d never been able to do with any of his slaves. I think he senses that the two of your have gotten close and he wants to feel that with someone.”

“That might be something that could end badly for us,” Jace said bitterly. “When this week is over we do have to go home with him and our master loves to take his feelings out on us.”  
“Lucky for you you’ll be sold, so I’ll be the one who has to suffer,” Cade replied bitterly.

“Don’t turn this into something bad,” Eden warned. “Like I said before, let’s enjoy the time we have together. It’s New Year’s Eve and you two are going to celebrate it with us.”

“And what kind of celebration is it?” Jace asked hesitantly.

“Well, we have two options,” Raf replied cheerily. “There is a small celebration on the beach we can go to, or we can pay for a boat and head out on the water and have a quiet celebration of our own. We decided not to take you to the big party since it would be too overwhelming.”

“But what do the three of you want to do?” Cade asked.

“You tell us,” Lucas answered. 

“We don’t want you spending your night doing something you don’t want to do because of us. Cade and I have never celebrated this holiday, so you might as well leave us here and enjoy yourselves,” Jace said, glancing at Lucas.

“You’re not getting out of this that easily,” Raf replied, setting a hand on Jace’s shoulders and turning him around so he couldn’t look at Lucas. “Lucas, Eden and I were never big into partying, so trust me, we prefer a quiet night with the two of you over a loud party packed with people.”

“So our choices are the beach or a boat?” Cade asked, receiving a nod from Eden. “And we’ll be taking the boat out on the water where there is a million chances for someone to fall off the boat and drown?”

“There’s railing around the whole boat to prevent you from falling overboard and drowning,” Eden replied calmly.

“Not on the back of the boat, there is that part that’s open,” Cade responded. 

“You’re not going to drown,” Lucas rolled his eyes. 

“You can’t promise that.” Cade pointed at him.

Eden took a step forward and nuzzled Cade’s neck. “If you vote for the boat we can break all your master’s rules. You can even drink.”

Cade’s eyes widened and he grinned. “I’ll go on the boat.”

“Where you’re more likely to fall off if you’re drunk,” Jace replied disapprovingly.

“You won’t be saying that when you’re drunk too,” Cade teased.

“You’re crazy if you think I’m drinking,” Jace rolled his eyes. “Someone’s got to stay sober enough to keep you from doing something stupid.”

Cade snorted and rolled his eyes. “Are we going to leave now?”

“How about some breakfast and then we’ll get everything in order,” Lucas offered.

~~~  
Cade gripped Eden’s hand when he stepped onto the slow rocking boat. It was early in the evening and the sun was starting to set for their night adventure out on the sea. Another boat drove past them, sending a wave colliding with the side of the boat and sending Cade stumbling into Eden. This may have been a bad idea.

Eden steadied Cade, kissing him gently before turning to help Jace on board. “You should have chosen the beach,” Jace muttered, falling into Cade and wrapping his arms around his waist.

“It’ll be better once were out in open water,” Lucas replied, nodding to the captain when he stepped onboard. 

Cade looked around at the sleek black boat, wondering just how much it cost Eden to rent it for the night. Like everything else Eden owned it looked new, polished and very expensive. Cade wondered if there was an end to Eden’s money. 

Once the group was settled onboard they set off into the clear blue Caribbean waters. It wasn’t long before Jace and Lucas disappeared to talk and Raf excused himself to speak with the captain, leaving Cade and Eden alone in outside. Cade glanced at the door Raf has walked through, noting that the curtains were drawn to give them some privacy.

“Do you think Lucas will buy Jace?” Cade asked, setting his hands on the railing and looking up into the night sky. The boat cut through the water with ease, forming it’s own little breeze. 

“I asked him if he would the other night,” Eden responded. “He said he wouldn’t be good for Jace. He said that he was too rough for him and that Jace deserved someone gentle.”  
“I think I love him,” Cade whispered after a moments pause. 

“Lucas?” 

“No, Jace.” He turned to face Eden. The lights were dim on the boat and Eden’s face was hidden by the shadows. “I love him the same way I love you and I don’t know what to do. I’m terrified that Jace is going to be sold and I’ll never see him again. I want to beg you to buy him, but that wouldn’t be fair to you. I’ve been so selfish since I found you again and I hate myself for it.”

“You’re not being selfish, Cade,” Eden said gently. He stepped towards Cade and slid his arms around his waist. He kissed Cade’s cheek and pressed their foreheads together. “Like I said before, as long as you are happy, I will do whatever you want me to do. If you want to be with Jace then you can be with him, I’m not going to stop you.”

“I want to be with both of you,” Cade replied, desperate to get Eden to understand. “I want the three of us to be together. I don’t want there to be a me and Jace and a me and you. I want you to love Jace as much as I do and I want him to love you too.”

Cade felt Eden’s smile against his cheek and he took a deep breath. “You still have time with Jace, maybe someone else will come along and buy him.”

“There already is someone,” Cade pulled back. “My master said that a man named Patrick wants to buy Jace. He said that Patrick offered to take Jace at the end of the week. We’ve both run out of time.”

Eden frowned and curled his fingers into Cade’s hair. “Let me see what I can do. Maybe I can convince Lucas to take him until we can find someone else.”

“Thank you,” Cade breathed, pushing up onto his toes and kissing Eden. He slid his hands to Eden’s belt and began tugging at it. Eden breathed heavily through their nose while they kissed and his fingers tightened in Cade’s hair when Cade slid a hand down the front of his jeans. 

“Cade,” Eden breathed, pulling away from him. 

“I’ve wanted to do this to you for a long time,” Cade whispered. He glanced behind him to make sure they were still alone and slid to his knees. Eden’s hand moved to stop him and Cade grabbed his wrist and set his hand on his shoulder.

Cade undid the button and slid the zipper down Eden’s jeans, pushing them open so he could nip at Eden’s cock through his boxers. Though Xander had taught him how to swallow a cock through force, Jace had taught him how to give pleasure and enjoy giving head when they were alone together.

He tugged Eden’s boxers down and freed his cock, taking the head into his mouth and sucking gently. Eden gasped, his hand cupping the back of Cade’s head gently. Cade hummed his approval and pulled Eden’s cock into his mouth, swallowing around the head.

Eden cursed under his breath and his hand fisted into Cade’s hair. Cade continued to hum, bobbing his head as he sucked. He pushed his head forward, taking all of Eden’s cock in his mouth and pressed his nose into Eden’s soft curls. He smelled so intoxicating.

Cade pulled back, curling his fingers around the shaft and licking the head. He found the small bundle of nerves under the head and teased them with his tongue until Eden whimpered. Cade lapped up the precome dripping from Eden’s cock and took the head back into his mouth. He bobbed his head again and cupped Eden’s balls. When he pulled back again, Cade ducked his head and drew each of Eden’s testicles in his mouth, licking and sucking until Eden’s whimpers turned into a low moan. Eden tugged on Cade’s hair and Cade pulled back, letting Eden’s testicle pop out of his mouth. He immediately took Eden’s cock back into his mouth, sliding his lips down to the base and sucking hard.

“Fuck, Cade,” Eden growled, his hips jerking as he fought to hold still. Cade hummed louder, sliding off Eden’s cock and taking it in his hand. He pumped his cock a few times before taking the head back into his mouth and sucking on it hard.

Eden coked out a cry and set one hand on the railing. He leaned over Cade, panting hard as he came, filling Cade’s mouth with salty come. Cade drank it down hungrily, thrilled to taste Eden instead of his master in his mouth. He continued to suck, drawing out as much as he could until Eden could give no more. 

“Cade, please,” Eden gasped, tugging gently on Cade’s hair. Cade pulled back, kissing the tip of Eden’s cock before tucking him back into his jeans. Eden kissed Cade when he stood up, sliding his tongue into Cade’s mouth and moaning.

“I wish I could have taught you that,” Eden breathed against Cade’s lips. Cade smiled and kissed him again. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Cade whispered, hugging Eden.

Raf appeared in the doorway, smiling at the two of them. “You’re not going to drag him to bed yet are you?” he teased.

“No, not yet,” Eden chuckled, pulling back. He glanced at Cade and smirked. “Would you like a drink?”

Cade nodded and followed Eden to the bar. Lucas and Jace emerged minutes later looking calmer then before. Jace took a seat next to Cade and slanted a look at the champagne in his hand. Cade tilted the glass towards him, surprised when Jace snatched it from him and took a drink. He immediately coughed and shook his head like he had tasted something gross.

“Was your chat with Lucas that bad?” Cade whispered.

“No, it was a good talk,” Jace huffed.

“Did it end in sex?” Cade smirked.

“Yes,” Jace muttered.

“And?”

“And it’s not your business,” Jace snapped, taking Cade’s glass again. Cade laughed, accepting the new glass from Eden when he joined them.

Cade was glad they had agreed to go out on the boat. The water was peaceful and it gave them time to talk about the time they were apart and their future when they were all back together. They avoided talk of Jace’s impending sale, letting themselves think for the time being that everything would be OK.

The group gathered together as the clocked ticked down to midnight, counting down to the New Year with cheers and hugs and kisses. They drank some more and headed down into the cabin to sleep. Eden had asked Lucas if he could keep Jace for the night earlier in the evening, so he left Jace with a kiss and headed into his own room. Raf gave them all hugs before he disappeared and the three of them piled into the master bedroom.

Eden undressed and pulled Jace into his arms, kissing him softly and leaving Jace breathless and surprised. “Get in bed,” he whispered, turning Jace towards it. He pulled Cade into his arms and kissed him too before pushing him towards the bed and sliding in himself. Eden situated Jace in the middle and settled behind him, his hand resting on Jace’s stomach.  
Cade laid facing Jace, his hands carding through his hair. He scooted closer and brought their lips together, reaching behind Jace to curl his fingers into Eden’s hair. Jace’s grey eyes were alight with emotion and he smiled softly. Cade wanted to tell Jace that he loved him too, but held his tongue. Saying it would only hurt Jace more and Cade already knew he was breaking his heart.

Instead he kissed him again and snuggled close, taking hold of Jace’s hand and keeping his other hand tangled in Eden’s hair. Jace gave a soft sigh and closed his eyes, resting his head under Cade’s chin. Cade smiled and let his own eyes slide closed.


	23. Chapter 23

Cade woke early in the morning with a great weight on his chest. They were flying home today, which meant he would be away from Eden for several more weeks. It also meant that Jace would be sold to whoever wanted him and Cade would never see him again. He would be loosing the two men he loved and it made him want to cry. 

He sniffed and looked down at Jace. Jace was curled against his chest, breathing softly and twitching while he dreamed. The calm look on his face made Cade smile and he gently slid his fingers through Jace’s hair and slid closer. He pressed his forehead to Jace’s cheek and sighed softly. “I love you, Jace, and I’m so sorry I can’t keep you with me,” he whispered.  
Jace grumbled in his sleep and pushed Cade away when their body heat made him too hot. Cade smiled and kissed his forehead before rolling out of bed. He checked the clock as he headed for the bathroom. His master would be up in a few minutes and he rather get a head start before his master woke up. 

He finished up in the bathroom and moved back to the bed, waking Jace with a gentle kiss. Jace blinked up at him, stretching out across the bed as he woke up, smiling when his eyes focused on Cade. 

“Our master will be up soon, better get ready,” Cade said. Jace nodded and climbed out of bed, slipping into the bathroom. Cade got to work pulling out his master’s clothes, trying hard not to think about leaving Eden again. It hurt to know he wouldn’t see him again for weeks and it hurt to know that he would have to suffer them without Jace.

Once their master was awake, Cade and Jace had no time to talk while they packed their things, showered and headed down to catch the shuttle to the airport. Eden, Raf and Lucas met them in the hall, their own luggage piled around them. Eden immediately wrapped his arms around Cade and held him tight.

“I’ll see you soon,” he whispered so only Cade could hear. Cade nodded, clutching him tight. “Thank you for letting me spend time with Cade and Jace,” Eden said to Xander.  
“My pleasure,” Xander nodded. “I’ll give you a call in six months to see if you still want him.”

“Thank you,” Eden nodded. He cupped Cade’s face in his hand and kissed him. “Good bye, love,” he breathed, kissing him one last time. He gave Jace a kiss and moved away to let Lucas and Raf hug the two slaves. “Don’t forget what we talked about,” Eden told Xander as they made their way to the elevator.

“I won’t,” Xander smirked. Cade glanced at Eden, raising a questioning brow. Eden just gave him a small wink and piled onto the elevator. 

They hugged one last time before they separated into two different shuttles and Jace took Cade’s hand, giving him the silent comfort while they headed to the airport. Eden was no where to be seen when they reached the airport and Cade’s heart felt heavy inside his chest. 

Xander checked them in, turning to the man who walked over to take his slaves to the waiting area. “Just this one,” he said, shoving Cade forward. “The other one’s been sold.”  
“What?” Cade gasped, lunging for Jace. An arm around his waist stopped him and Xander grabbed Jace, pulling him away. “No,” Cade cried, fighting against the man holding him.  
Panic immediately welled up inside him. He was alone and it suddenly terrified him. He couldn’t leave Jace like this he needed to say goodbye. But his breathing was getting faster and faster and Jace was getting further and further away. He was dragged back and the man holding him slammed the heel of his hand against the back of Cade’s head. His vision blurred when breathing became impossible and he passed out when the man struck him again.

~~~  
Cade’s head popped up when the front door opened and he abandoned the laundry to greet his master. There was a young man standing next to Xander, glancing curiously around the apartment. He was naked and his dirty blond hair stuck up everywhere from the rough washing they had given him at the sale. His eyes seemed to change color every time he moved his head and when they settled on Cade, they looked green. 

“Slave one, meet slave two,” Xander grunted, handing Cade his jacket. “I want both of you washed and in my room in twenty minutes.”

“Yes, Master,” Cade replied, taking the other slave’s hand and leading him to the bathroom. Cade instructed the new slave to undress while he turned on the water. “What’s your name?” he asked, pulling off his shirt. 

“Taylor,” the other slave replied, his voice soft. He stuck his hand under the spray of water and adjusted the temperature. “What’s yours?”

“Cade.” Cade pulled the shower curtain aside and indicated for Taylor to get in.

“Did our master do this?” Taylor asked, sliding a finger over the marks on Cade’s back when he joined him in the tub.

“Yes,” Cade replied. “When I first got here I was stubborn and he had to reprimand me.” He turned to look at the other slave and gave him a small smile. “If you behave and do what he says he won’t use the whip. I won’t tell you he’ll never lay a hand on you, the man enjoys finding a reason to punish us, but do what he says and you’ll avoid the whip.”

“But I want him to whip me,” Taylor replied calmly. Cade frowned when he looked up at Taylor and he raised an eyebrow in question. A glint of excitement flashed through Taylor’s eyes and he turned to show Cade his ass. It was covered with red handprints and finger shaped bruises were starting to form on his hip. “He already fucked me in the car on the way here. He was surprised when I asked for more after the first slap. It was the best sex I’ve had in a while.”

“You call getting beaten amazing?” Cade asked, completely baffled at the growing smile on Taylor’s face. 

“Everyone always looks at me like I’m crazy when I say that.” Taylor laughed, washing the soap off his body. He calmed and looked at Cade again. “I don’t know why I like it, I just do. I want to be used and he seems like the kind of master who likes to use his slaves.”

“Well you’re not wrong,” Cade replied, shutting off the water and climbing out of the shower.

He reached for a towel when a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. Taylor turned him around and pressed him against the door. He slid his fingers into Cade’s hair and kissed his lips. “I can see you think he’s vicious and that you don’t understand how I could enjoy him, but I see him as an opportunity to be happy. You and I are just wired differently, we like different things.”

“I know what you’re trying to say, but I still think you’re an odd man,” Cade mumbled. 

“Oh please,” Taylor laughed. “You can’t tell me there isn’t some secret you’re hiding that people wouldn’t understand if you told them.”

Cade swallowed hard, thinking about Eden and Jace. “I’m in love with two men at the same time and I want all three of us to be together.”

“Kinky.” Taylor’s smile grew and he stole another kiss. He pushed away from Cade and turned towards the stack of towels. His smile fell when he reached for one and when he turned back to Cade; his eyes were a stormy grey. “Was one of the men you fell in love with the slave who used to live with you?”

“Yes,” Cade whispered, taking the towel from him. “The other one is a friend of my master. I met him while we were on vacation and I can’t stop thinking about him. He wants to buy me, but I still have four more months before he can legally do that. I don’t even know if he’ll still want me by then.”

“Well, I can’t promise you that he will, but I can try to take the attention off you. Our master seemed to like it when I begged him to fuck me in the car, maybe he’ll spend all his time with me and leave you alone.”

“Just be careful, I don’t want you getting hurt because you want to protect me.”

“Don’t worry,” Taylor smirked. “He’s not the first master who’s been rough with me and like I said, I really enjoy it.”

Cade nodded, remembering what Raf said about Xander looking for someone to love. He had read somewhere that every person in the world had a match. Who was to say that Taylor wasn’t the right slave for Xander? So long as they were both happy, who was Cade to judge either of them?


	24. Chapter 24

Cade hovered over the kitchen sink, scrubbing the dishes from that morning. Xander and Taylor had disappeared into Xander’s room again that morning and Cade could hear Taylor’s needy screams float down the hall.

It had been two weeks since Taylor had arrived and Xander spent more time playing with him then he did terrorizing Cade. He still had a few sore spots on his ass from the other day when he had talked back to his master, but Taylor had managed to say something that had landed him strapped to the T in Xander’s room.

Like he had told Cade several times before, he enjoyed every minute of the beating and practically mauled Xander when he was released. Most of the time Xander overlooked the whipping and fuck Taylor senseless, enjoying himself more then Cade had ever seen. 

Though Cade was forgotten when Taylor held all of Xander’s attention, he still got to enjoy himself when he was alone with the other slave. Xander allowed Taylor and Cade to fool around when he wasn’t home and Cade found himself enjoying the rough sex. It still wasn’t anything like it was with Eden or Jace, but it helped him relax. Taylor was determined to make Cade as happy as their master made him.

After a week with Taylor, Cade found himself telling him the truth about Eden and how he was trying to get Cade back. Taylor was excited to hear that one day Cade would be able to return to the man he loved. He was also helpful during the few panic attacks Cade had, reassuring him that everything was all right and helping him imagine his future with Eden. For a man who enjoyed rough treatment, Taylor could be exceptionally gentle when he needed to be.

A few days ago Taylor had admitted that he was falling in love with their master and it shocked Cade. He never thought he would hear someone admit to loving Xander, but Taylor was happy and he was definitely making Xander happy, so why shouldn’t he love him?

There was a sharp knock on the door and Cade shut off the water to answer it. Two police officers greeted him and asked to speak to Xander. Cade nodded and invited them in before he went off to retrieve the man.

He quietly knocked on his master’s bedroom door before opening it and stepping inside. Xander was leaning against the headboard; one arm snaked around Taylor, who laid curled against his thigh. Taylor’s ass was red from whatever abuse Xander had put him through and he was smiling while he drew patterns across Xander’s chest. 

“Master, there are two police officers at the door. They want to speak to you,” Cade told him.

“Police officers?” Xander muttered. “What now?” He climbed off the bed and dragged on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. “Get Taylor cleaned up while I talk to them.” Cade nodded, hiding his surprise. His master had never called any of his slaves by their name before.

Taylor rolled over, showing off several bite marks and finger shaped bruises across his neck, chest and hips. He was still smiling when he sat up gingerly, obviously sore from the beating.

“I still swear you’re crazy,” Cade huffed, helping Taylor off the bed.

“You enjoyed it when I spanked you the other day,” Taylor teased.

“That was different,” Cade growled, his face growing hot. Taylor chuckled and headed for the bathroom. Cade helped him wash and rubbed aloe over his abused skin. Xander could be heard speaking tensely to the officers when they exited the bathroom and Cade swore he heard one of them say his name.

“Where are you going?” Cade demanded when Taylor walked towards the living room.

“Curious,” he replied. Cade rolled his eyes and followed him.

“We have a court order to take Cade with us into custody until the hearing tomorrow. It’s all in the paperwork we gave you. If you have any questions, you can ask the judge tomorrow,” one of the officers was saying. “I’m sorry, sir, but we can’t leave here without him.”

“I saw Eden a few weeks ago, why didn’t he say anything?” Xander asked, looking over the papers in his hands.

“Mr. Graft was told not to speak to you about it. At the time, we hadn’t determined the documents his father used were false and he didn’t want to start any trouble.”

“Did you hear that,” Taylor whispered excitedly. “Eden did what he promised.” He wrapped Cade up in a tight hug and then shoved him into the room.

The two officers looked up when he stumbled forward and Xander turned to frown at him. “Are you Cade?” the officer with the moustache asked. Cade nodded and the man smiled at him. “We need you to come with us. There were forged documents used for your recent sale and we need you need to testify in court. We’re going to take you somewhere safe to stay until the court hearing tomorrow.”

Cade nodded, but didn’t move. He didn’t want his master blowing up and making things worse if he tried to go with them. Though Xander looked annoyed, he sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. “Go with them,” he said, waiving a hand at the officers.

Cade still hesitated, glancing back at Taylor. He gave Cade a bright smile and motioned for him to go. Cade returned the smile and walked towards the officers. The man with the moustache placed and hand on Cade’s shoulder and nodded at Xander.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” the other officer said.

Xander nodded, his hazel eyes sliding towards Taylor when he stepped into the room. He gave Xander a cheeky smile and let the towel slip off his waist. The last thing Cade saw before the door closed was Taylor whispering something to Xander that made his eyes darken and his breath catch.

~~~  
Cade woke in the small room they had left him in the night before, his heart beating uncontrollably in his chest. The officers explained the day before that Cade would need to tell the judge everything that had happened to him when he went home with Eden and all the way up to when they took him from Xander’s apartment yesterday. After that, the judge would decide if Eden’s father should be brought up on charges and which master Cade would be returned to.

Cade hoped the man would let him go back to Eden. After all, that was the reason why they were doing this.

Cade climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom to shower. He dressed in the suit they had left him to wear for court and a young woman came by with breakfast. She told him that someone would come to get him after he was finished eating.

It was the same two officers who had taken him the day before that came to get him and they both smiled and reassured him that everything would be alright. The courthouse was bustling with activity when they arrived and the two officers led him inside and up a flight of stairs. They stopped outside a large set of doors and the officer with the moustache turned to Cade. 

“Are you ready?”

Cade nodded and they stepped into the room. Eden and Xander stood across from each other at the front of the room. Behind Eden sat Raf and he turned to smile at Cade when he walked down the aisle. The judge sat facing them and he watched Cade approach.

“Is this the slave in question?” the judge asked.

“Yes, your honor,” Eden replied.

“Bring him up.”

The officers led Cade up to a small stand and another officer swore him in. He took a seat in the chair, his eyes immediately going to Eden. Eden gave him a small smile and winked. He still looked tired, but his blue eyes were sparkling with excitement. He had also grown a beard, which made him look even more handsome then he had been before. 

“Cade?” Cade turned his head to the judge and he motioned to Xander and Eden. “Do you know these two men?”

“Yes,” Cade replied. He pointed to Eden. “He’s Eden, my master.” He then pointed to Xander. “That’s my other master, Xander.”

“Do you know what happened to you when Eden brought you home for Thanksgiving?” the judge asked.

Cade nodded and told them what happened between Eden and his father while they were home. He told them everything he remembered, hoping he didn’t forget anything important. The judge looked satisfied when Cade was finished and he turned back to the others in the room.

“It has been determined that the documents Mr. Alexander Milton held were forged, therefore I have no reason not to withdraw the bill of sale and return legal ownership of Cade to Mr. Eden Graft. Mr. Milton, do you have any objections?”

“No, your honor,” Xander replied, looking composed. Cade had never seen the man so calm before.

“Very good. As for your father, Mr. Graft, I am putting a warrant out for his arrest and you and Cade will have to return to testify against him. If you wish to press charges, I suggest you do it soon.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, your honor,” Eden nodded. 

The judge banged the gavel and Cade was thrilled that it was finally over. He got up and hopped off the stand and hurried over to Eden, throwing himself into his arms. Eden chuckled and kissed Cade’s forehead.

“I’m glad you missed me,” he whispered.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t,” Cade cried, burying his face against Eden’s chest. 

“Eden,” Xander said softly. Cade pulled away and turned to look at the man. Xander held his hand out to Eden and gave him a small smile. “I hope this doesn’t put a wedge between us?”

“No,” Eden shook Xander’s hand, “it was my father’s fault in the first place.”

Xander nodded and looked at Cade. “You better be good to him.”

“And you better take care of Taylor,” Cade said, thrilled that he could speak to Xander freely. “You’re never going to find another slave like him and you better not screw it up.”  
Xander’s hazel eyes hardened and he visibly fought back his initial reaction. Instead he nodded and turned to leave the courtroom. Cade turned back to Eden and hugged him again Eden leaned down to kiss him and took Cade’s hand. Raf took his other hand and they headed to the car.

“Calvin will be glad you’re home. He hasn’t had anyone like you to teach since you left,” Raf told him.

Cade snorted and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad that’s the only reason he missed me.” He paused for a moment and shifted uncomfortably. “What about Dennis?”

“Dennis no longer lives with us. We decided it would be better if he wasn’t around when Eden got you back. We use his room for Eden’s other slave.” Raf smirked at Eden when he grumbled at him.

“Other slave?” Cade asked. “You got another one.”

“I didn’t really have a choice, someone begged me to take him. Don’t worry, I think you’ll like him.” Eden smiled at him through the rearview mirror and Cade frowned. He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea of Eden having another slave.

“Speaking of slaves,” Cade started. “What does this make me?” 

“It still makes you my boyfriend and I’m still going to give you your freedom when the time comes. You’re free to do whatever you want and no one can tell you you can’t do something because you’re a slave.” Cade nodded and smiled, settling against his seat. Everything was finally back to normal. 

Cade looked out the window when he started recognizing the scenery and his heart began to beat faster when they passed the school and turned down the road that led to the house. The same cars were parked in the driveway and it looked just as welcoming as it had the first time he had seen it. Cade took Eden’s hand when he offered it and followed him excitedly to the house.

Eden unlocked the door and was shoved out of the way by Calvin. “Welcome home,” he said, wrapping Cade up in a tight hug. Cade laughed and returned the hug happily.  
“Told you no one missed you,” Raf teased when Calvin set him down. 

Lucas hugged him next, welcoming him home with a gentle kiss. Cade stepped into the house, breathing in the familiar woody scent. Everything was the same as it had been before he left and the familiar surroundings made his heart flutter.

“Welcome home, Cade.” Cade’s head snapped around and his eyes widened when he saw Jace standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Jace gave him a small smile and walked over to him.

“Jace,” Cade breathed, taking his face in his hands and kissing him messily. “How did you get here?”

“Eden bought me,” Jace explained.

“You bought him?” Cade asked, turning to look at Eden.

“You wanted the three of us to be together and after I thought about it, I really liked the idea. I talked to Xander the night before we left and offered to pay him a lot more then what Patrick had offered. Xander agreed and brought him to me in the airport. I didn’t know Xander hadn’t told you who bought Jace until Jace told me.”

“You’re not mad because I want the both of you?” Cade asked.

“Jace and I have had a few weeks to get to know each other,” Eden smiled. “I enjoy having him around just as much as I enjoy having you. Either way, I’m willing to try.”  
Cade launched himself at Eden and kissed him hard. “I love you so much,” he breathed.

“I love you too,” Eden smiled, kissing Cade again. “Welcome home, my love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of people really didn't want Jace and Cade to be together and when I originally planned out the story Jace was just going to be sold and that was going to be the end of it. I had a lot of people e-mail me begging that Jace had a good ending. Unfortunately, if I ended the story with Jace being sold there wasn't going to be a happy ending for him.
> 
> After a lot of debate, I decided to take the rout I did and put Jace, Cade and Eden together because I liked their relationship for the next two stories and I hope you will too. For those of you who are sad Jace and Lucas didn't get together, I will tell you that Lucas does have his own story that you will get to read. I've also decided to post the conversation Jace and Lucas had on New Year's Eve and a short about what happened between Jace's sale and Cade coming home.


End file.
